Toll booths no longer accept cash? Understand the main changes in Brazilian toll booths and how the new payment system works at toll booths.
Toll booths no longer accept cash? Since September 2024, some highways in São Paulo have started to have toll booths equipped with automatic payment booths (ATMs). These booths exclusively accept credit and debit cards with proximity technology (NFC), in addition to allowing payments via cell phones or smartwatches. With the adoption of this technology, the use of cash is no longer accepted at certain toll booths.
Understand why Brazilian toll booths no longer accept physical cash
There are also roads that have implemented the free flow system, which uses automatic payment via tag or even later settlement on the toll road concessionaire's website. Not to mention the well-known automatic barriers that are released to customers of electronic toll companies, such as Nonstop and ConectCar.
According to CCR, these electronic payment methods will already account for 85% of total transactions in 2024. In 2020, this percentage was 56,3%. Therefore, most toll booths no longer accept physical cash.
Due to this growth, CCR's goal is to eliminate cash payments by 2026 at all Brazilian toll plazas on the 11 highways managed by the company, including Anhanguera-Bandeirantes, Raposo Tavares (SP-270) and Castello-Branco (SP-280), located in the state of São Paulo.
According to CCR Rodovias president Eduardo Camargo, the goal of no longer accepting cash at toll booths is part of a broader CCR Group agenda to improve the experience for its customers. The numbers show that there is a change in their behavior, and this movement is being encouraged. with innovation and technology.
Initiatives to eliminate physical cash in Brazilian toll booths
Toll booths no longer accept physical cash and CCR has already installed 61 ATM booths on its federal highways, 24 at CCR ViaSul (RS); 17 at CCR RioSP; 16 at CCR ViaCosteria (SC), and four at CCR ViaLagos (RJ), which was the company's first concession to receive the technology, in 2021. At these Brazilian toll booths, transactions via ATM jumped from 2% to 35%.
In the state of São Paulo, there are 54 automatic booths at toll plazas. In the Anhanguera-Bandeirantes system, there are 32 booths and in Castello Branco, there are 22 electronic service stations.
Toll booths no longer accept cash, however it is possible to pay the toll via the CCR website if the driver does not have cash or a card.
From the CCR Payments portal, it is possible to check vehicle toll charges for traditional Brazilian toll booths and free flow gates and make ticket payments.
Consumer speaks out about changes to Brazilian tolls
The editor Henry Rodriguez discovered this facility by chance. According to him, he was driving a test car and forgot that it didn't have a tag and ended up going through the automatic barrier, which allowed him to pass. He then asked a toll booth employee how to proceed and she advised him to make the payment through the website.
Previously, the driver received a printed invoice that could be paid within 5 days or even made the payment at a toll plaza on the same highway, also within the same five-day period.
When asked to clarify what happened, CCR confirmed that this modernization in the post-payment system was carried out with the aim of making life easier for drivers. However, it emphasizes that passing through automatic toll lanes without paying the fare, according to the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB), is a serious infraction, punishable by a fine of R$195,23 and five points on the driver's license.
Anything that makes traffic easier is welcome!