Explaining this issue on the sidelines of the Workshop "Why do drivers need to have a traffic account from October 1? , Mr. To Nam Toan, Head of the Department of Environmental Science, Technology and International Cooperation (Vietnam Road Administration) said: The condition for linking to a traffic account is to have a non-cash payment account such as an e-wallet, credit card, spending authorization, collection authorization...
Cashless payment means are means issued by a payment service provider, a financial company allowed to issue a credit card, or a payment intermediary service provider providing an e-wallet service issued and used by customers to conduct payment transactions. These include: Checks, payment orders, payment authorizations, collection requests, collection authorizations, bank cards (deposit cards, credit cards, prepaid cards), e-wallets and other payment means as prescribed by the State Bank.
Meanwhile, Article 3 of Decree 52/2024/ND-CP stipulates: Cashless payment services include payment services via customers' payment accounts and payment services without customers' payment accounts.
In particular, the payment service through customers' payment accounts is the provision of payment means; performing cheque payment services, payment orders, payment authorization, collection assist, collection authorization, bank cards, money transfer, collection, payment and other payment services for customers through payment accounts.
Payment service without a customer's payment account is the provision of payment services, conducting payment transactions without a payment account.
Based on these regulations, personal bank accounts are not non-cash payment methods.
"Therefore, the payment of road fees cannot be deducted directly from the bank account, but must be through a traffic account," said Mr. Nam Toan.
According to Mr. Nam Toan, the fastest and safest way to switch to a traffic account is for vehicle owners to use the payment method of a toll collection service provider. Vehicle owners only need to go to the toll collection application to open the e-wallet of the service provider, for example, using the VETC application to open a VETC wallet.
Regarding the transportation account wallet infrastructure, Mr. Nguyen Le Thang - General Director of VETC Automatic Toll Collection Company Limited - said: Currently, VETC service provider has made direct connections with 12 major banks in Vietnam to serve payment for vehicles using the service.
Customers can be completely assured that any bank can connect to VETC account, ensuring the connection between traffic account and payment account.
On the other hand, VETC is continuing to solve technical problems to make connections smooth and uninterrupted.
Discussing further about this issue, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Trang - Deputy General Director of Vietnam ePass Digital Transport Joint Stock Company - informed that the connection of "wallet" traffic accounts - banks is currently being implemented smoothly by this unit. However, this unit hopes to be able to connect directly from the traffic account - bank without having to use a wallet, to ensure convenience for people and vehicle owners.
Speaking at the Workshop, Deputy Minister of Construction Le Anh Tuan said that after nearly 10 years of implementation, the non-stop electronic toll collection system (ETC) has covered 100% of toll stations nationwide, with more than 6.3 million vehicles having been marked and opening toll accounts.
The application of ETC has brought many benefits: Shortening the time passing through the station, reducing congestion, transparency of revenue sources, creating civilized habits when participating in traffic.
However, to move towards a synchronous electronic payment ecosystem for transportation, the Road Law and Decree 119/2024/ND-CP stipulate the conversion from a toll collection account to a traffic account connected to a non-cash payment method. This opens up the possibility of paying for multiple services - from road fees, parking fees, airport and seaport fees, to inspection fees - with just one account.
