What is the ETC discount?

[DiLane]

Banks offer varying discounts to promote and encourage ETC applications. Starting from 2020, vehicles without ETC or not using ETC will not enjoy toll discounts. In the future, only one manual lane will remain at highway toll stations, requiring manual toll payment, and the efficiency will be lower compared to ETC lanes. ETC toll deduction principle: Highways will have one or more ETC lanes. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, computer networking technology is used for backend settlement with banks. This allows vehicles to pay tolls without stopping at toll stations, all based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in queues; Green and eco-friendly: Reduces noise and emissions by eliminating the need for vehicles to stop at toll stations, thus lowering pollution; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs by minimizing frequent starts and stops, reducing vehicle wear and fuel consumption. Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically process vehicles 2-3 times faster, making traditional ETC more advanced, faster, and higher-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council explicitly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, intercity transportation cards will be widely used in key city clusters, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will significantly increase." It also set a target in the "13th Five-Year Plan" for comprehensive transportation development: "By 2020, the ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles should reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage rates for passenger vehicles, future efforts will promote ETC usage for trucks and explore deeper integration of ETC systems with smart transportation directions such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination. This will provide comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners, meaning more application scenarios will support ETC. ETC usage precautions: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. If the vehicle ahead is stationary, maintain a distance of over 10 meters to prevent accidental toll payment for the vehicle ahead due to ETC device failure or absence. The recognized speed for ETC lane passage is 20 km/h. Excessive speed may prevent reading vehicle device information, leading to toll deduction failure. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or detachment/loosening of the ETC electronic tag, will render the tag invalid. It can be taken to the bank where the ETC card was issued or a highway service center for inspection. If the detachment is not due to human error, reactivation is sufficient. When using a debit card linked to ETC, insufficient balance may cause toll deduction failure. Follow on-site staff guidance to use manual MTC lanes for cash or card payment. Thick windshields may cause poor signal reception. This is especially important for vehicles that have had windshield replacements after accidents or modified front windshields.

[DeRonan]

I just got my ETC last month and specifically compared the discounts from several banks. Currently, there's a nationwide standard 5% discount on highway tolls, but the actual discount depends on the card issuance channel. Some banks offer free devices and an additional 12% discount coupon for new users. I highly recommend applying through local transportation investment company partnerships. For example, in our province, you also get a 5% fuel discount coupon when applying for ETC, which is much more practical than regular banks. However, be aware that cashback promotions have expiration dates, so the most reliable benefit is the long-term 5% discount. Since installing ETC, I save over 200 yuan on tolls every month, and the convenience of not having to queue for payment is unbeatable. I recommend all frequent long-distance drivers to get one installed.