02/05/2011 - viaTOLL System in Poland for ROUTEX Card Holders
Effective July 2011, the Poland Vignette for Vehicles > 12 tonnes will be replaced by a new electronic tolling system called “viaTOLL”, requiring a toll box called “viaBox”. Any eligible vehicle(>3,5 tons or busses >9 seats) travelling on tolled roads in Poland will require such “viaBox”. A manual (un-registered) mode of toll-settlement without a “viaBox” is NOT foreseen – every liable vehicle travelling on the tolled network will need its viaBox, failing that will trigger Enforcement fees.
Transactions within viaToll system can only be settled via local bank accounts, credit card and a selected number of fuelcards.
Users of the viaTOLL System have to register themselves and their toll-liable vehicles in the viaTOLL System. As a result of this registration the user will receive an on-board unit – the viaBOX – which has to be mounted in the vehicle on the inside of the windscreen. The toll-liable road network will be equipped with toll points, the gantries, which are equipped with special antennas. The toll is charged per toll-liable road section when the vehicle uses this section and passes through a tolling point. Tolls will be charged in a fully automatic manner without the driver’s involvement.
PrePay: the toll will be debited electronically from the user viaToll PrePay-account established upon registration in the System or via a subsequent PrePay top-up transaction. Each top-up transaction will be debited to the ROUTEX Card Issuer on a daily basis.
PostPay: any PostPay transaction will be debited to the ROUTEX Card Issuer on a daily basis.
The correct use of the viaBOX device and proper toll collection are checked through enforcement technology.
Accepted settlement modes for “viaToll” are Pre-Pay and Post-Pay. Pre-Pay will require customer to pick up his box at any of the designated viaToll Distribution Points in Poland, Post-Pay will allow the customer to order the box from his ROUTEX Card Issuer, with the viaBox being directly shipped from the Polish operator to customer premises prior to viaToll system start.
“ViaToll” is a roadtax and will therefore be invoiced free-of-VAT.
With system start 650 km of Motorways, 600 km of Expressways and up to 350 km of selected national roads will be tolled. Check the detailed description of the initial viaToll road network and the map of tolled roads in Poland. Until 2018, the tolled network is expected to grow to >7500 km of tolled roads.
The already existing “privately” operated tolled motorways A1, A2 and A4 will be part of the viaToll supported network, allowing acceptance of the viaBox, as well as other currently accepted settlement media. Stretches not yet participating in the viaToll system will accept ROUTEX Card.
Vehicles not-eligible for viaToll, can settle the A1, A2 and A4 toll via ROUTEX Card. See the toll network map.
viaBox
The viaBox looks similar to the toll boxes used for Austrian or Czech roadtax and can be easily mounted by the driver onto the vehicles inside front windscreen. The Box comes together with a mounting device and a supporting document.
This box is applying microwave technology to communicate location and ID information to the toll facilities (toll bridges/gantries) on motorways / exits / entries.
viaBox Registration Process
The viaBox order/registration requires:
• the viaBox road usage contract (supporting both Pre- as well as PostPay)
• a Copy of Extract of Commerical Register,
• Passport of person authorized to complete the order,
• the vehicle registration,
• the vehicle Euro Emission Class specification,
• a Power of attorney
The official viaBox road usage contract will be distributed after Easter in time for registration start on May 2nd. This final and official viaToll road usage contract for Pre- and PostPay will be available in various language versions, always supporting Polish language and one additional language. These are: English, German, Dutch, French, Hungarian and Bulgarian.
For more information please contact your ROUTEX Card Issuer.
If you are not a ROUTEX Card Holder yet, for more information please contact ROUTEX Participants.
PrePay viaBox
PrePay means that the customer is always required to have a credit on his PrePay account before entering the viaToll road network. The deposit (= the viaBox deposit) is 120 PLN (approx. 30€). The minimum top-up amount is set at 120 PLN, the maximum top-up amount is 1000 PLN (approx. 250€) the maximum account balance per PrePay account (PrePay customer) is 1000 PLN.
The PrePay viaBOX informs the user whether there are sufficient funds in the account to use toll road network by an appropriate number of audible (signals) confirmations. viaBOX utters the signals when the vehicle passes beneath the gantries which are the toll collection points. A single beep on a PrePay viaBox means that the user has sufficient funds in the account. Two beeps indicate that the user has funds in the account, but not enough. Four signals indicate no funds in your account or a malfunction of viaBOX.
At viaToll Distribution Points pre-pay customers are able to pick up their pre-pay box. In order to get the pre-pay box the customer has to show the completed and duly signed Customer Contract (Registration Contract) and all required supporting documents (Copy of extract of Commercial Register, Copy of Passport / ID card of person signing the Registration Contract, copy of vehicle registration, Document confirming Euro Emission category, Power of Attorney).
Automatic PrePay viaBox
An alternative to PrePay may be Automatic PrePay. This is a PrePay viaBox that is permanently linked to one means of settlement (ie. a ROUTEX fuelcard). In the case of the Automatic PrePay viaBox the PrePay accounts will automatically be topped-up with a pre-defined PLN-amount, once the PrePay account balance reaches a pre-defined minimum level.
The Automatic PrePay viaBox can be picked up at any Distribution- or Contact Point. Requirements for supporting documents are identical to the regular PrePay option.
Automatic PrePay is a good solution for customers that may not wish to use a PostPay viaBox, since it offers customer convenience and lock-on to the ROUTEX Fuel Card issuer.
PostPay viaBox
Contrary to PrePay where the viaBox needs to be picked up at viaToll Distribution Points in Poland, a PostPay viaBox can be ordered and shipped directly to the requested customer premises.
ROUTEX Customers will receive their PostPay viaToll contract from their fuelcard issuer. Customer will complete the viaToll Road usage contract and return it to his ROUTEX Card Issuer Customer Service, including all supporting documents. The PostPay viaBox will be sent to the customer premises in due time.
The PostPay viaBOX informs the user about its operational status by emitting a single beep meaning that the PostPay viaBox is fully operational.
viaToll does also support a PostPay solution at the viaToll Contact Points in Poland. At the Contact Point customer can agree a PostPay settlement either via a Polish Bank Account or Credit Card, or by linking ROUTEX Card to the individual PostPay Boxes. At the Contact Point viaToll Boxes can be distributed to the customer immediately, in case the customer has a complete set of documents: viaToll contract, plus all supporting documents, AND all relevant ROUTEX Cards – one card for each box.
viaToll Contact Points
viaToll Contact Points are available near the major cities in each province, with good access to the road network of electronic toll collection system. At the Contact Points, it is possible to:
• receive information relating to the viaTOLL System and services associated with it,
• receive leaflets (in various languages),
• register to the System,
• receive the viaBOX device (after paying the deposit),
• check your account balance and receive a list of made transactions,
• make complaint about the operation of the viaTOLL System or the viaBOX device,
• Report the theft of, loss of or technical problems with the viaBOX device.
