Jakarta. The Indonesian government is set to introduce an automated toll payment system, called Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF), aimed at alleviating traffic congestion on toll roads. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo signed Government Regulation No. 23 of 2024 on Toll Roads on May 20, paving the way for the implementation of MLFF.

Attila Keszeg, President Director of Roatex Indonesia Toll System (RITS), a Hungarian company implementing the MLFF toll transaction system in Indonesia, said the MLFF project is set to be implemented gradually starting in October 2024.

Attila said that Indonesia has significant potential to become a developed country, supported by its natural resources and demographic advantages. However, the country still faces several challenges, one of which is traffic congestion caused by queues at toll booths.

According to World Bank data from 2019, the economic losses in Indonesia due to traffic congestion amounted to around $4 billion per year. Meanwhile, a feasibility study conducted by Roatex in 2020 indicated that congestion at toll gates results in economic losses of over $300 million annually in Indonesia.

Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono urged toll road users to register their vehicles through the Cepat Tanpa Stop (Cantas) application under the automated toll scheme.

“This is about changing the system and the behavior,” Basuki said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Penalties for non-compliance are outlined in Article 105, paragraph 5 of PP 23/2024, which categorizes fines into three levels: Level I requires payment of the toll fee within 48 hours, Level II requires payment of three times the toll fee within 240 hours, and Level III requires payment of ten times the toll fee with vehicle registration suspension if unpaid after 240 hours.

Basuki explained that Indonesia's toll roads initially used a cash payment scheme, which then shifted to cashless with tapping, and now the government is transitioning to Single Lane Free Flow (SLFF) as a step toward MLFF.

The SLFF is expected to be implemented next year. Meanwhile, the MLFF is targeted to be fully operational by 2029.

According to the TomTom Traffic Index, Jakarta ranks as the 30th most congested city in the world, with an average speed of 21 km per hour. Travel time increased by 40 seconds in Jakarta last year compared to the previous year. The data indicates that the average time to travel 10 km is 23 minutes and 20 seconds, which can extend by 18 minutes during evening rush hour, resulting in 117 hours lost per year due to traffic.

How MLFF Works

The SLFF system works by reading vehicle license plates at toll gates using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. MLFF, however, uses the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), which does not require toll readers at every toll point, providing a more cost-effective solution. Users simply need to use a smartphone application called Cantas, which includes an electronic on-board unit (e-OBU) readable by satellites.

If the vehicle's license plate is registered and the electronic money balance in the app is sufficient, the barrier will open. If not, the barrier will remain closed.

“Once MLFF is fully operational, unregistered vehicles or those without sufficient balance will be unable to enter and will be fined as a form of law enforcement,” said Director General of Highways at the Ministry, Hedy Rahadian.

The MLFF system will be gradually implemented, starting with toll roads around Jakarta and West Java, and then expanding to other toll roads across Indonesia.

The MLFF project is being carried out under a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme, representing foreign direct investment (FDI) from Hungary worth $300 million.

The MLFF system has been undergoing trials since December 12, 2023, on the Mandara Bali Toll Road by the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT). The system is planned to be gradually implemented on the Mandara Bali Toll Road starting in October 2024. During this transition period, a single lane free flow system with barriers will be used.