By mobilizing employees of its parent company, Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection Co (
While arguments remain as to which technology -- microwave or infrared -- should have been adopted for the ETC system, experts said that most of the recent negative reportage in relation to the system is a result of poor implementation on the part of Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection, the winning bidder under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) system.
"Installing the ETC system was definitely the correct decision and is in line with international trends," said Chen Wu-cheng (
"But the manner in which Far Eastern is managing the process is in dire need of adjustment and improvement," he said in a seminar held by the Chinese Institute of Transportation (中華民國運輸學會) and the Intelligent Transportation Society of Taiwan (中華智慧型運輸系統協會) last week.
Since the formal launch of the ETC system early last month, disputes, public complaints and allegations of impropriety have been rife, undermining people's confidence in the system.
Controversies include allegedly unreasonable OBU prices, inconvenient OBU installation due to insufficient service locations, inadequate incentive packages to boost the usage rate, and the speed limitation applied to OBU-equipped vehicles when passing through toll stations.
When Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection Co first introduced the OBUs late last year, they retailed at NT$1,350 (US$41.5). Although the company felt that the unit price was fair, relative to that in other countries, it was forced to discount the units to NT$680 after the government applied pressure.
But this pricing problem should not have occurred in the first place, said Chang Sheng-hsiung (張勝雄), associate professor and chair of the transportation management department at Tamkang University.
"Prices for the OBUs would have been stated in the bidders' proposals. The Taiwan Area National Freeway Bureau cannot claim ignorance now in an attempt to absolve itself of responsibility," he said.
Faced with waves of doubt and skepticism, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications should make public the main contents of the contract it signed with Far Eastern and clearly explain its decision-making process, he said.
If the government finds the contract improper, it should conduct a new round of negotiations with the contractor to safeguard consumer rights and interests, Chang noted, adding that this would then conform to the BOT principle by which the authorities and the contractor are partners, he said.
Chung Hua University's Chen strongly advised that Far Eastern increase the number of venues at which consumers can have OBUs installed. Currently, prospective users have to seek out service locations along the freeway, certain contracted gas stations and auto care centers.
"Why not allow all gas stations and parking lots to install OBUs? Making the installation process more convenient would attract far more new users than those boring TV commercials that trumpet the advantages of ETC all day long," he said.
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