OGS (electronic toll collection)

OGS, acronym for Otomatik Geçis Sistemi (literally: Automatic Pass System), is an electronic toll collection system of radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponder type available on toll roads and toll bridges in Turkey. The system was adopted to avoid traffic congestion at toll plazas. An alternative to OGS is the KGS system of smart card type implemented later on at the same toll plazas.

It was launched in 1998, and was first installed on the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge at over Bosporus in Istanbul.[1] The OGS was later extended to the intercity motorways , , , and and the other toll bridge Bosphorus Bridge on over the Istanbul Strait. Currently, the OGS is in use on all toll roads in the country. The system is administrated by the General Directorate of Highways (Turkish: TC Karayolları Genel Müdürlüğü, KGM).[2]

Tolling

The radio transponder, also known as tag, can be obtained from the office of toll plazas, authorized major banks, mobile points of sales and at Internet as well, after signing an agreement. The tag is issued for a specific licence plate and so for a specific vehicle category. It cannot be transferred without notice to the provider. The tags slightly differ in size and form depending on the provider, and can be replaced within the guarantee limit, which varies from three to five years. Before using OGS, the tag's account has to be credited.[2]

The OGS system involves the fixing of the tag on the inside of the vehicle's windshield, mostly behind the rear-view mirror. However, at some car brands, the tag has to be attached on the windshield's inside bottom. At the toll plaza, the vehicle has to drive to a toll booth on the OGS-only assigned lane. OGS lanes are always leftmost passing lanes, and they are designated at some distance before the toll plaza. However, there are also additional OGS booths on the right side of toll plazas dedicated to heavy vehicles. The booth is marked with OGS-sign at the top. A flashing green light at the top signals its usability. The battery-driven tag communicates with the reader device built into the toll collection equipment at the toll booth as the vehicle passes through. It is not needed that the vehicle stops. However, a speed limit of 30 km/h (19 mph) is recommended to avoid accidents before the booth.[2]

Vehicles are classified for toll purposes in five categories based on the wheelbase and the number of axles. If the number of axles of a vehicle is less than the maximum number of axles -because some axles of a truck are lifted up or a tractor is running without its trailer-, the integrated automated vehicle classification system changes the vehicle category read in to the actual one during the passage allowing a lower toll tariff. The bridge toll is fixed for each vehicle category, and is charged only once in eastward direction on the two bridges in Istanbul. The road toll is rated further depending on the distance driven between the entry and the exit of motorway for each vehicle category. For this reason, a signal has to be initiated on the OGS-lane by entering the motorway. OGS users benefit from 20% discount at all toll roads and bridges in Turkey.[2]

The tag can sound in two different modes: One beep indicates that tolling was successful. Four consecutive beeps mean insufficient credit on the tag's account. If the tag does not sound at the next three or four passes, it is most likely that whether the tag is out of order or it is being used in an incorrect way. In this case, the tag has to be tested by the highway authority, since untolled passes more than ten times is absolutely not allowed.[2]

At the toll booth's exit, an electronic display summarizes the tolling process showing one of the following eight messages:[2]

Violation

In order to allow uninterrupted pass, there are no gate arms at toll booths on OGS-lanes. If the tolling process is not successful, a lamp under the electronic message display at the exit of the OGS booth turns yellow for a short time, and the display shows the message "CEZALI GEÇİŞ, KAÇIŞ" (Violation, escape) adding vehicle's category and the amount of fine. Further, the driver is warned by a loud electronic horn at the booth, and the vehicle is photographed as well for evidence.[2]

In case of unmatched vehicle category, the tag's account is charged with the actual category. However, the driver is warned by the booth horn, and the vehicle is photographed. Tag's account is charged with additional fine in amount of double maximum toll for each violation. Vehicle is blacklisted when this type of violation occurs more than ten times. Vehicles on blacklist or vehicles without tag or with another vehicle's tag are charged with fine as high as the eleven times of toll amount.[2]

Vehicle owners or drivers can query information about their violation online or at a call center. Payment of the fine within 15 days following the violation notice's receipt enables 25% discount according to Turkish law.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Otomatik Geçiş Sistemini sevdik". NTV-MSNBC (in Turkish). 1998-11-25. Retrieved 2012-12-17.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "OGS Otomatik Geçiş Sistemi" (in Turkish). Karayolları Genel Müdürlüğü. Retrieved 2011-02-15.

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