Cashless payment system operator UTA has set up mobile handover stations for toll units at ten Belgian border crossing points.
The move is in response to an apparent difficulty in delivery of the new units to customers in advance of the distance-based toll system being introduced in Belgium from April 1.
UTA CEO Volker Huber commented: “Only a small proportion of OBUs has arrived for large customers, some of whom have ordered and registered their vehicle data for several hundred units.”
The electronic Eurovignette will be replaced in Belgium on 1 April 2016 by the Viapass satellite-based toll system. At the same time, tolls will become obligatory for all vehicles over 3.5 tonnes (down from the previous threshold of 12 tonnes).
“Out-dated versions of software as well as huge logistic problems with the suppliers in delivering the toll units to our customers have caused many difficulties. We are making immense efforts to compensate these customers by providing them with a quick and practical solution”, added Huber. “We ourselves are setting up mobile OBU service stations at ten heavily-used border crossings. At these stations, our own employees will work together with toll operators to support our customers in a two-shift operation between the hours of 6am and 10pm.”
Parallel to the service offer from UTA, toll service provider Satellic has also announced that around 40 to 50 mobile teams will be stationed to hand out OBUs at the borders in addition to the more than 100 service points.
