A well organised inspection system guarantees fair toll collection

The system used in Austria provides for a combination of automatic and manual inspections. This is why toll dodging is practically impossible. The inspection system identifies all vehicles that have not or only partly paid toll. Automatic inspection via stationary and portable units as well as mobile inspection are carried out by the operator of the tolling system, ASFINAG Maut System GmbH.

The Austrian toll road network has approx. 130 enforcement units automatically monitoring correct toll collection, with the system checking if the vehicles passing an enforcement unit fulfil their obligation to pay toll. This process does not hamper the flow of traffic. If differences emerge, the data and pictures of the respective vehicle subject to toll are passed on to the Enforcement Center of ASFINAG Maut Service GmbH.

Depending on the result of the ensuing manual check, the pictures – if toll was paid correctly - are either deleted or, if an offence was committed, the registration owner of an Austrian or German vehicle is requested in writing to pay substitute toll. The drivers of foreign vehicles having committed an offence will be asked by the enforcement officers by word of mouth to pay substitute toll.

Manual inspections on motorways and expressways are added to overall toll enforcement. Approximately 100 toll enforcement officers of the ASFINAG Service- und Kontrolldienst (toll enforcement service and inspection scheme of ASFINAG - SKD) are on assignment throughout the toll road network, at traffic inspection locations and the main toll stations (Gleinalm, Bosruck, St. Michael im Lungau, Rosenbach, Schönberg and St. Jakob am Arlberg). The Federal Road Toll Act (Bundesstraßen-Mautgesetz - BStMG) transfers to the toll enforcement officers all powers required for checking on toll collection. The officers wear uniforms and drive blue-lamp vehicles; they are entitled to guide out and halt toll vehicles from the traffic flow. Additionally, they may levy substitute tolls and collateral securities or keep a vehicle from driving further.

What is important in this context is that the substitute toll to be paid, for instance, if the GO-Box is not carried along or is not mounted properly, is EUR 220.-. The same applies if the GO-Box is blocked or the Pre-Pay credit loaded on the GO-Box is insufficient for payment of the respective toll section. If the category chosen or the EURO emission class stored is wrong, the substitute toll amounts to EUR 110.-.

The applicable substitute toll can be paid either directly and personally to toll enforcement officers or, if a written „request to pay substitute toll“ is received, at a later date within 4 weeks from date of issue.

The electronic tolling system combines all unpaid toll sections arising within five hours from the first instance of non-payment into one single offence. When such substitute toll is paid, the offence is considered settled. If payment is refused the district authority in charge may impose an administrative fine ranging from EUR 300.- to EUR 3000.- per offence.

Using the toll road network without a GO-Box, however, may give rise to several offences, if unpaid toll sections are outside of the above mentioned „5-hour-interval“.