Ahead of MLFF Trial, BPJT Continues Coordination with Roatex

Head of the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) Ni Komang Rasminiati stated that her party is continuously coordinating with PT Roatex Indonesia Toll System (RITS) as the implementing business entity to conduct a pre-trial of the Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) project, a barrier-free toll payment system. The coordination concerns technical preparations for the scenarios to be tested for the contactless toll payment system. “We are currently preparing technically for the scenarios that will be trialled,” Komang said at the Ministry of Public Works office on Friday (3/7). However, Komang did not provide a definite target date for when the pre-trial will be conducted. “Once the preparations are sufficiently mature, then we can determine the target for when the pre-trial can be carried out,” said Komang, who is also the Director General of Infrastructure Financing at the Ministry of Public Works. The location for the pre-trial has also not been determined. She said the MLFF pre-trial location will be decided based on the scenarios that have been developed. The MLFF system uses Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology and processes transactions via the Cantas application, which is integrated with Electronic Registration and Identification (ERI) data or vehicle ownership data held by the National Police Traffic Corps. One benefit of the MLFF transaction system is operational cost efficiency and minimising vehicle fuel consumption. The implementation of MLFF toll transactions is a breakthrough in saving subsidised fuel consumption. Beyond fuel wastage, congestion at toll gates due to daily transaction volumes reaching 4 million can also result in air pollution. Previously, PT Roatex Indonesia Toll System (RITS) Director Renaldi Utomo said the company is currently involved in developing technical scenarios for the trial. Various possible field conditions are being discussed as part of the preparations. He noted that coordination between the government and investors is proceeding well and assessed that the government remains committed to continuing the MLFF project. As the government’s partner and investor in the project, RITS is still awaiting a decision regarding the location and timing of the trial. Bali, which was initially planned as the pilot location, remains an option, although testing could also be conducted on other toll road sections. Renaldi explained that the cooperation contract held by RITS since receiving the work order on 15 March 2022 still refers to the MLFF concept. However, during the transition period, the use of barrier gates is still permitted. “We have agreed that during the transition process, barriers will still be used. So there is a transition concept and a final concept according to the MLFF design. The final decision, of course, rests with the government, and we support it,” he said. He added that scenario development and testing are crucial stages before the government makes a decision on the wider implementation of MLFF. The system is expected to reduce vehicle queues and speed up transactions on toll roads. Meanwhile, transport observer from the Road Transportation Polytechnic, Anton Budiharjo, assessed that the implementation of MLFF is becoming increasingly urgent due to rising traffic volumes and the need for more efficient toll transaction management. However, he said its application must be carried out gradually by considering the readiness of infrastructure on each toll road. He suggested that the government could start implementation in areas with the best infrastructure readiness, such as Jakarta, but the trial should not be applied to all toll gates at once. “Start with one gate first. Once the public feels the benefits, then expand to two, three, until all gates. Within about five years, all toll gates could implement the multi lane free flow system,” he said.