Should you buy an e-tag?

We all know the hassle of scrambling for change or sitting in toll traffic.

Sanral’s introduction of automated lanes and automated payment on South Africa’s toll roads, registering and getting fitted out with an e-toll tag will not only save you time but you can save money on your toll journeys too.

E-tolling means paying your toll fees electronically as opposed to manually at a toll plaza.

With the introduction of e-tags, motorists travel faster through payment points using the dedicated lanes. This speeds up traffic flow at toll plazas.

Vehicles fitted with tags are identified by electronic readers placed in toll plaza lanes. On approach users will slow down, the system reads the tag and the boom rises.

Transactions are automatically deducted from the vehicle owner’s Sanral account.

A single tag fitted in a vehicle can be used as payment method at toll plazas along South Africa’s national toll routes.

Sanral tags can be used as a toll payment method on the N2 North Coast toll route – Tongaat, Mvoti and Mtunzini mainline toll plazas, and the King Shaka Airport ramp toll plaza.

The dedicated automatic electronic payment “Shesha” lanes are on the far right-hand sides of the plazas.

If you are a visitors to Gauteng how will the e-toll effect you?

According to Sanral should you only visit Gauteng once or twice a year, you will not pay any toll fees as the first 30 gantry passes in a year are free.

Payment is only due on the 31st gantry pass (which will include the cost of the preceding 30 gantry passes).

Purchasing
Visit your nearest Sanral outlet (found at selected highway off-ramps: Tongaat, Mvoti and Mtunzini) or Pick n Pay (most stores are certified e-tag distributors).

Pay R49.95 for your e-tag package.

Ensure that your e-Tag comes fitted with the obligatory drive-time credit that is activated upon registration.

Your tag package should also come with an installation package that fits most vehicles.
Registration

Register on the website sanral.co.za or call a SANRAL office at 0800 726 725 or at an e-toll customer service outlet (found at selected highway off-ramps).

Follow the prompts to register your e-tag, and choose your method of payment.

Installation
Using the provided bracket, attach your e-tag to the inside of your windscreen.

Each time you go under a gantry, your e-tag will beep. Once your pre-paid funds are depleted, you will have to load up with more credit (if you have chosen the pre-paid method of payment).

Bear in mind that e-tag batteries should last up to five years. If your e-tag starts to beep four times in a row repeatedly, or stops beeping when you pass under a gantry, it may be time to replace your battery.

The e-tag will also be accepted on the following routes:
• N1 Great North Toll Route – Baobab, Capricorn, Sebetiela, Nyl, and Kranskop toll plazas
• N1 South/R30 Toll Route – Grasmere, Vaal, Verkeerdevlei and Brandfort toll plazas
• N17 Toll Route – Gosforth, Dalpark, Denne, Leandra, Ermelo and Trichardt toll plazas
• N2 South Coast Toll Route – Umtentweni, Oribi, and R61-Izotsha toll plazas
• N3 Mariannhill toll plaza
• N4 Magalies Toll Route – Quagga and Pelindaba toll plazas
• N1 Huguenot toll plaza
• N3 Toll Concession (N3 route) – De Hoek, Wilge, Tugela and Mooi toll plazas.
• N1/N4 Platinum Toll Concession route – Stormvoël, Zambezi, Pumulani, Wallmannsthal, Murrayhill, Hammanskraal, Carousel, Maubane, Doornpoort, K99 Ramp, Brits, Buffelspoort, Marikana and Swartruggens toll plazas
• N4 (TRAC) Toll Concession route – Donkerhoek, Cullinan, Diamond Hill, Valtaki, Ekandustria, Middelburg, Machado and Nkomazi toll plazas.

Download The North Coast Courier mobile app, now available free from the Apple iStore and on Google Play, for IOS and Android phones.