Northern toll road to get mobile payment option
NZTA investigating payment for trips via text
By Computerworld Staff, Auckland | Thursday, 3 September, 2009
Drivers travelling on the Northern Gateway Toll Road north of Auckland may soon be able to pay via mobile phone.
The New Zealand Transport Agency is tendering for a mobile phone/text-based payment system and has invited prospective tenderers to submit a statement of interest and ability in delivering the technology.
Currently, payment options are limited to pre- and post-trip online payment, and kiosks at the entrance to the road.
The toll road opened in January and has faced some IT-related issues with payments, including security and
overcharging of some motorists with pre-paid online accounts
.
A tender notice appeared on the GETS (Government Electornic Tenders) website today; the
Rodney Times
newspaper, which serves the area immediately north of Auckland where the road is situated, first broke the news that NZTA was considering text payment
last week
.
NZTA spokesman Andy Knackstedt says "at this stage we are only seeking expressions of interest and no commitment has been made to develop a mobile phone-based payment solution for the toll road.
"This is an opportunity to see what is available and how this might potentially work to the benefit of tolling."