Anyone who has visited Australia will tell you that the best way to visit this stunning country is by car. When traveling by car, most visitors will use a rental car. If you have never driven in Australia, you need to be aware of the toll roads. When traveling in Australian cities such as Melbourne, there are toll roads such as the City Link Toll Roads.
In Melbourne, City Link and the Exhibition Street Extension consist of eight designated toll zones where a vehicle’s driver receives a toll for using the particular roadway. Electronic tolling allows drivers to use City Link without slowing or stopping to pay tolls and helps to maintain a steady flow of traffic on the expressway. If you use these tolls while driving a rental car, you will have to register with the Link operator, City Link Melbourne. You do this by opening a toll account or buying a Day Pass. If you choose to open account, you will be given a wireless device called an e-TAG. You then install this device on the rental car’s windscreen.
The e-TAG contains an individual number stored in electronically. The e-TAG works as the car passes through the toll area, it is sense by a scanner that is installed above the roadway and the identifying number is recorded. This identification number is connected to the driver’s toll account in the central tolling computer system which is located in South Melbourne.
As the car passes through the tolling system, a toll is deducted from the driver’s toll account. It is comparable to using a bank debit card. City Link Melbourne oversees the management of the toll road system. The funds in account can be added using a debit card, credit card, check, cash, and Bpay. The e-TAG only contains the identification number, not the driver’s name, address, or license plate number.
One cannot get away with not paying at a toll toad. There are video real time security cameras which will take a picture of the car’s front license plate and the driver will be located and fined. If you have a rental car, the rental car company will charge your card for any fine that you incur. When a passing vehicle fails to properly display the tag, advanced image processing comes into play.
When one rents a car in Australia, they are responsible for road tolls payments. Many car rental companies will have the device installed in their cars so one just has to open the account. The rental car company will explain how the toll system works and how to obtain an electronic pass. Some rental cars will already have the account and charge you for the tolls you used after you return the rental card,
If you only have a cah on you when going through a toll booth in Australia, locate the sign that says ‘exact toll’ or ‘change’ toll to ppay at the approptiate booth. Cas tolls are gradually being eliminated from toll booth systems so it a good idea to purchase an electronic method of paying at the toll roads. If you don’t have the exact toll amount, look for the booths marked ‘change.’
When driving a rental car in Melbourne, Australia, make sure you have acquired the right payment method to use at the toll roads.
