The free flow technology, or free flow, recently authorised on national territory by Law No. 14.157/2021, is revolutionizing the road transport of cargo and fleets in Brazil. Although it's new around here., Free flow is already widely used in other countries like China., USA, Portugal and our neighbor Chile
Free flow is a toll system without gates., allowing vehicles to be identified and charged by means of gates installed along the motorways. These gates read the license plate or the chip installed in the vehicles through tags. In practice, the driver does not have to stop or slow down when passing the toll, which results in savings, And it has many benefits.
Payment can be made automatically, by means of the tag installed on the windscreen of the vehicle, which communicates with the ports located on the route. In this case, the driver receives the toll charge on the tag's own invoice. The user who doesn't have the technology, You have to make the payment manually., through the highway concessionaire's app or website
In addition to the ease of use and convenience of payment on the invoice, The use of the tag as a means of payment for free flow has unique advantages, as the 5% discount on the value of the toll charged, the Basic Tariff Discount (DBT), intended exclusively for users of the automated payment solution
The project, which started its deployment in Brazil in January 2023, is being introduced gradually, Its first installation in the state of São Paulo started last Wednesday (04)..09). Established in the municipality of Itápolis, The portico is located at km 179 of Highway SP-333. According to EcoNoroeste, concessionaire responsible for the highway, the amount charged remains the same as the previous toll, of R$ 8,90. While tag users pay R$8,45 – with a 5% discount on the DBT
Beyond São Paulo, There are still four free-flow gates in operation equipped with cameras and laser sensors., including one in Rio de Janeiro (Rio-Santos) and three in Rio Grande do Sul (ERS-122, ERS-240 and ERS-446), an important milestone in this transformation. According to Abepam (Brazilian Association of Automated Payment Companies for Mobility), Porticos have already been installed or are in the process of being installed on 27 federal and 58 state highways
The main promise of free flow is to promote fairer charging., Once the gates are deployed in more places, entailing the charging of fares proportional to the distance travelled. For drivers, is a significant relief. Ending queues at tollbooths increases productivity and reduces stress, with greater fluidity in traffic, which also helps to reduce fuel consumption – which directly impacts the driver's pocket and still helps the environment
Already to the shippers, responsible for the dispatch of goods, the free flow contributes to better predictability of transit time, which facilitates logistical planning. Reduced delays and greater transport efficiency result in a more reliable and agile supply chain, providing firms with a faster response to market demands
In practice, the comparison between traditional toll booths and the free flow system is revealing. A truck can reduce fuel expenditure by as much as $5 per toll plaza, simply because you don't have to slow down., stop and accelerate again. This economy, which is equivalent to about 800 milliliters of diesel per toll, represents a considerable reduction in operating costs. Furthermore, with less frequent braking there is a decrease in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere, benefiting the environment
As the system expands across Brazil, Its benefits are becoming increasingly evident., consolidating itself as a key player in the modernisation of road transport. It is now up to companies and managers to embrace this innovation, optimising their operations and contributing to smoother and less polluting traffic, and make the logistics sector more efficient and sustainable
