Order ETC unit online
Drivers can apply for an electronic toll collection unit online via the Shanghai Public Traffic Card app as of Thursday.
Applicants only have to provide their bank account details and vehicle information on the app, and in 20 days the ETC unit will be delivered.
However, this service is not available to foreigners as the Chinese character identification of road-worthiness certificates does not match overseas language passport identification.
So far, eight banks support ETC, with toll fees deducted directly from accounts or credit cards.
Drivers will also be able to link the ETC system with Alipay from August 10.
Gu Yinxiang, deputy secretary of the public traffic card company, said if a person did not receive a device within 20 days of ordering, the company will offer compensation, including discounts for public transportation.
“The demand for the device exceeds supply at the moment,” said Du. “It is a national campaign to promote the ETC system and there are only four device manufacturers working with Shanghai now.”
The device and delivery are free of charge. Drivers who use ETC get a 5 percent discount. Drivers are not allowed to lend their ETC systems to other drivers.
Apart from the online application channel, there are 106 ETC installation offices in the city. The public traffic card company is opening more.
By the end of August, the company said, there will be more than 200 offices where drivers can apply for the device.
Meanwhile, the modification of toll gates at provincial borders is in progress. At 4am on Wednesday, the first portal frame of the toll gate on expressway G1503 in Baoshan district was installed.
