FETC of Taiwan Looks Overseas to Promote e-Toll Collection Business

Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection Co., Ltd. (FETC), a subsidiary of the Far Eastern Group and the first supplier of the electronic toll system for the north-south freeway in Taiwan, is tapping overseas markets for its e-Tag electronic toll collection systems (ETCs), having signed up the Vietnamese government to install the system and been in talks with governments of many countries.

FETC General Manager Y.C. Chang points out that unlike most of the company's international competitors, his company is ready to export turnkey systems, which include not just supplying the technology and management experience but also the civil engineering, electrical engineering, sensing system, and surveillance-camera equipment.

Contracted by the Taiwan National Freeway Bureau (TANFB), FETC is the exclusive builder and operator of the e-Tag ETC system on all the island's freeways, which had relied on manual toll collection for decades by staff manning booths along the freeways that inevitably slowed traffic flow. 

Chang says the company has signed an agreement to supply the Vietnamese government with consultancy related to using its e-Tag to collect freeway tolls and fees for other traffic-control services. Supplying such consultancy will bring FETC proceeds of US$1 to 2 million, after which FETC will work with the Vietnamese government on planning and installing the e-toll collection system.

The Malaysian government is also in talks with FETC over introducing the company's management model on ETC operation, to likely become another nation to import FETC's ETC technology and equipment after Vietnam.

Other nations interested in FETC's ETC system include Kazakhstan and India. The North Central-Asian nation plans to build around 7,000 kilometers of freeways by 2025, while India is vigorously investing in building more freeways. Both countries are drawn to the obvious advantages of FETC's system.

FETC specialists have visited Kazakhstan to provide technological consultancy with a trade delegation that also included managers of CECI Engineering Consultants Inc. and the semi-official export promoter Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). CECI is one of Taiwan's most recognized builders of major infrastructural projects, including the island's first super highway, mass rapid transit systems, and science parks.

FETC plans to vie for India's and Kazakhstan's turnkey ETC contracts in cooperation with over 100 Taiwanese manufacturers including construction, gantry-engineering, surveillance-camera, and sensing-system companies.

Chang points out that his company's e-Tag collection system is reliable, scaleable to be attractive to many countries interested in installing the system to attain efficient toll collection amid rising traffic volume on existing or to-be-built freeways.

He says the company plans to make its e-Tag system available for parking fee collection, an application which he says appeals to Kuwait. The company is in talks with the Kuwaiti government over purchasing the system for parking fee collection.

Chang points out that once Kuwait decides on buying the ETC system, FETC can chalk up its first e-Tag contract signed overseas for parking toll collection.