No more toll gates soon? Plus & Prolintas to begin MLFF trial

Malaysia’s highway concessionaires, spearheaded by PLUS Expressways Bhd, are taking a proactive approach to implementing their own Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) toll collection systems. The move comes as an effort to prevent excessive profiteering and ensure that the system benefits both concessionaires and motorists.

One of the key challenges faced by concessionaires is enforcing toll payments, particularly from drivers who repeatedly fail to maintain sufficient balance in their accounts. Currently, there are no legal provisions allowing highway operators to pursue toll evaders once they exit the highway. To address this, concessionaires are looking to collaborate with the Road Transport Department (RTD) to link outstanding toll payments to road tax renewals.

“The objective of a tie-up with RTD is to ensure that drivers who owe concessionaires have to pay up before renewing their road tax,” said an industry executive.

Several large highway concessionaires have already taken the initiative to conduct MLFF trial runs on closed highways. Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas), the highway concession arm of Permodalan Nasional Bhd, is among the early adopters. Prolintas, which manages six urban highways, has begun testing the system on select routes, including the Guthrie Corridor Expressway, Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway, and Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway (SILK).

PLUS Expressways, Malaysia’s largest highway operator, is also set to roll out its own MLFF trial system by April. Amanah Lebuhraya Rakyat (ALR) is another concessionaire expected to begin testing.

The costs for these trials are being covered internally, and smaller concessionaires will later have the option to adopt the most effective system. PLUS has a significant advantage in this space, as its wholly-owned subsidiary, Teras Teknologi Sdn Bhd, currently provides electronic toll collection systems for most concessionaires in the country.