This article covers Polish regulations and market practice. The principles apply elsewhere, but check the rules in your country.
e-TOLL is the system for collecting tolls on toll road sections in Poland managed by the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways. The e-TOLL system is supervised by KAS (the Head of the National Revenue Administration) and replaced the previous viaTOLL system. It is mandatory for vehicles with a gross weight above 3.5 tonnes.
On 1 December 2021, the National Revenue Administration introduced the e-TOLL system also for drivers of passenger cars on the motorway sections managed by GDDKiA, i.e. the A2 Konin–Stryków and A4 Wrocław–Sośnica.
The introduction of the new electronic toll system is a challenge for drivers, logisticians and fleet managers. With everyone who deals with this system in mind, we have made it possible to integrate it with the Navifleet app. How do you use e-TOLL?
A GPS device or the e-TOLL PL app?
The first decision fleet managers (of both passenger cars and vehicles with a gross vehicle weight above 3.5 tonnes) had to make was how to send location data to the e-TOLL system.
The options are:
- the government's e-TOLL PL mobile app, or
- an OBU (On Board Unit) or ZSL (External Location System) device.
Buying a motorway ticket is also an alternative. After a year of the e-TOLL system in operation, we can safely say that in terms of convenience and reliability, the optimal solution is to equip vehicles with GPS devices. You will find our comparison of the e-TOLL PL app and geolocation data transmission devices in the article: Mobile app or a subscription e-TOLL device?
Using the e-TOLL system in the Navifleet app – how to get started?
How do you use e-TOLL? Adding a vehicle and starting to use the e-TOLL service with an OBU or ZSL device and the Navifleet app is a very simple and intuitive process. It takes a few steps:
- After buying the device you receive login details – your devices already appear in the Navifleet app with their assigned business IDs.
- You register an account in the e-TOLL system.
- You add vehicles in the registered account and link them to the devices – when adding a device, the system asks for the business ID number, which you can read from the Navifleet app. Once the devices are linked to the vehicles, they must be activated. The whole process of setting up an account and configuration is described in these instructions:https://etoll.gov.pl/ciezarowe/rejestracja-w-e-toll/jak-zarejestrowac-sie-w-e-toll/
You can edit the list of devices in the Navifleet app yourself – give each device any name that makes it easier to identify and, optionally, the registration number of the vehicle in which it is installed. This data is not sent to the e-TOLL system.
Once the above steps have been completed, the e-TOLL system is ready to work.
Simple diagnostics for e-TOLL devices
Using a GPS tracker (for satellite positioning) and the Navifleet app, which sends geolocation data to the e-TOLL system, is one of the most reliable ways to handle e-TOLL.
Above all, we have given users access to a diagnostic tool that reports on the status of the integration. As a result, throughout the first year of e-TOLL's operation, none of our customers was fined for driving without paying the toll. And fines can hurt. For non-payment of e-TOLL, a driver can receive a fine of PLN 250 to 1,500.
e-TOLL device status indication
In the table listing all our devices, there are icons that tell us clearly whether location data is being sent to the toll collection system on an ongoing basis, whether the device is connected to power, what its battery level is, and its signal coverage (along with the number of available satellites).
This solution can safely be called remote, comprehensive diagnostics of e-TOLL devices. Why is this so important? Imagine a fleet of 200 vehicles, each fitted with an e-TOLL device. There is a good chance that, through a driver's inattention, one of them will go flat or be deliberately switched off. In such a situation, the person managing the fleet receives a notification of the device malfunction before the driver enters a toll section and is fined for driving without paying. This is the only method in the e-TOLL system that guarantees reliability at this level.
Diagnostics in the Navifleet mobile app
The e-TOLL device diagnostic tool is available not only on our system's web platform. Communication with the e-TOLL system can also be monitored in the Navifleet mobile app.
The app provides comprehensive real-time information and lets you switch communication with the toll collection system on and off with a single tap.
Verifying the location data sent to the toll collection system
The Navifleet app makes it possible not only to check the device status in real time, but also to verify historical data, specifically the route sent to the e-TOLL system. The user can verify which geolocation data has been registered in the e-TOLL system
With this solution we do not have to wonder whether the whole toll collection process really went correctly and whether we will get a fine in a few weeks' time.
Support from our specialists 24/7
Another step we have taken towards ensuring reliable handling of the new toll collection system for passenger cars and lorries is continuous support from experienced Navifleet specialists.
Our technical and IT support teams have for many years been helping logisticians, forwarders and fleet managers keep heavy and light fleets running smoothly and improve their processes. It is no different with the e-TOLL system.
We are well aware that the new electronic toll system has caused quite a stir among companies with mobile assets that are unsure how to use e-TOLL. That is why our support team shares its knowledge with users even before the service is launched. We are available to you 24/7, and the response time for every request is at most a few dozen minutes.
e-TOLL knowledge base
For users who prefer to learn on their own, we have created a solid knowledge base. It contains comprehensive information on using the e-TOLL service in the Navifleet app and more.
The e-TOLL toll collection system in Navifleet – your benefits
A good, modern solution for the e-TOLL system is one that does not require much involvement from drivers and fleet managers. In other words, the ideal solution is a system we can forget about on a daily basis, while knowing that it is doing its job well.
That was precisely the idea behind integrating the Navifleet app with the e-TOLL system. To these assumptions we added safeguards in the form of device diagnostics, verification of the route sent to e-TOLL, and technical support.
This is how a hands-free, reliable system was created that makes work easier for drivers, fleet managers and logisticians.
Get in touch with me if you want to start generating savings in your fleet.
Piotr Wójcik
New Business Manager
