On November 30, 2017, the Ministry of Transport officially released the “Technical Specifications for Mobile Payment of Toll Road” Section 1 Manual Mobile Payment, which was implemented on January 1, 2018. So far, mobile payment has officially become a new payment model for high speed. As a new technology and new transaction method, what kinds of changes will mobile payment bring about in operational management? Let's briefly discuss the development and significance of mobile payment.
Dilemma high speed mobile payments
Definition of mobile payment
Mobile payment is a payment method that uses third-party payment platforms (payment systems of non-bank institutions with payment business licenses, such as Alipay and WeChat) to conduct toll transactions. In terms of applications, mobile payments can be divided into parking mobile payments and non-stop mobile payments.
Parking mobile payment is applicable to MTC. It is one of the manual and semi-automatic toll payment methods. Users can use QR codes, virtual cards, and other methods to pay tolls instead of cash payment methods in the parking state. Parking mobile payment is technically simple. It can be achieved by adding special facilities to the original charging system. According to the way users use QR code payment, it can be divided into active users and passive users. The active users refer to the way in which the users use the mobile terminal to scan the QR code on the target device and complete the payment. The passive users refer to the way in which the QR codes on the mobile terminal can be scanned by QR code scanners and the payment is completed through the dedicated QR code reading device. Parking mobile payments generally adopt passive users.
Non-stop mobile payments can also be called contactless payment, which means that when the user passes through the tollhouse, like ETC, there is no need for parking. It is a payment method that automatically deducts tolls. At present, no national standards have been issued. Generally, the technology is that users register through an app, binding identity, payment, vehicle, and other information. Then, it can be used after the system is verified with public security, credit investigation, and payment agencies. After registration, when users approach the tollhouse, the license plate recognition device installed will quickly capture and accurately identify the vehicle license plate and other information. The backend system will verify, so vehicles can pass in real-time. There is no need to collect the high speed pass at the tollhouse. When the vehicle exits the highway, the equipment will identify the vehicle license plate and other information, and deduct the relevant toll from the user’s registration account according to the actual toll generated on the way. Subsequently, the travel record and electronic invoice can be found on the users’ app.
The current situation and development of mobile payment
With the development of Internet technology and mobile network technology, the technology of mobile payment has been mature. The most important thing for mobile payment is to strengthen the protection of network security. At present, the highway communication network is a relatively independent communication network, which is isolated from the Internet. After accessing the Internet, network security risk prevention and control is particularly important. Therefore, before accessing the Internet, network security, equipment security, application security, data security, and physical environment security must be upgraded and optimized according to protection standards. Secondly, only simple equipment update is required on the front-end toll lane (parking mobile payment only needs to add related scanning equipment; non-stop mobile payment only needs to upgrade the existing electric balustrade to a fast balustrade; and the license plate recognition equipment can be upgraded to high-definition recognition equipment). At the same time, a backend mobile payment system needs to be established, which is used for the provincial network clearing and settlement system to settle transactions with third-party payment platforms through the mobile payment system.
At present, parking mobile payment has been put into use in many provinces. Guizhou Province will also realize parking mobile payment by the end of this year. There are two main ways of parking mobile payment. One is that someone is on duty; the other is unattended. The first one is almost the same as the manual charging model. Toll collectors take the pass card and read it. The system calculates the toll according to the driving route and the rate, scans the QR code on the users’ mobile terminal through the scanning device, and then charges the toll. The unattended method is to install a self-service charging terminal in the toll exit lane. Users insert the pass card into the card slot to identify it. After the system calculates the toll, users scan the QR code on the mobile terminal against the self-service scanning device to complete the payment.
Due to the fact that national standards have not yet been issued, non-stop mobile payment has only been piloted in Shandong, Hunan Guangdong, etc., especially in Shandong. More than 1,700 lanes of 215 tollhouses have been upgraded and renovated with the function of non-stop mobile payment. Users only need to register the license plate number on the “high speed e-travel” WeChat public account or Qilutong app. They can pre-deposit the toll or bind the WeChat, Alipay, or bank card. There is no need to collect, return, or tap the pass card. It is easy to pass through the tollhouse without stopping. The lane will automatically complete the operations of license recognition, toll deduction, pole lifting, and so on.
With the development of pilot work in various provinces and the maturity of technology, national standards of non-stop mobile payment will soon be issued. In the future, there are three high speed payment methods: cash, ETC, and mobile payments. ETC and mobile payments will gradually become mainstream charging models.
Promotion of mobile payment
As a business management unit, it is necessary to gradually promote the use of mobile payment according to the relevant national standards and provincial conditions.
Construction: It is necessary to ensure that the toll collection system has the function of mobile payment in accordance with national standards in building high speed. At the same time, mobile payment can be gradually used on existing highways. Mobile payment should be gradually added to the original charging model. The charging model based on non-stop charging and supplemented by parking charges can be finally realized.
Technology: It is necessary to attach great importance to network security, increase the investment and intensity of network maintenance, and formulate network security systems and network security emergency plans.
Management: In the future, the managers of high speed must be composite talents who can understand both high speed and IT. Business units should pay attention to cultivating and introducing composite talents, and control the number and scale of toll collectors at the same time. It is necessary to strengthen job transfer training for existing toll collectors, create new employment opportunities by changing business methods, and realize the job transfer and re-employment of existing personnel.
Significance of mobile payment
(1)For users, mobile payment, especially the popularity of non-stop mobile payment, has greatly shortened the transaction time and greatly improved traffic efficiency compared with traditional manual charges. Vehicles can quickly exit the tollhouse. At the same time, the payment method is more flexible and convenient than cash and ETC. Therefore, users’ experience can be further improved.
(2) For business units, mobile payment has greatly improved the traffic efficiency of the tollhouse, alleviated the pressure and safety risks caused by congestion, and improved the service. Secondly, cashless payment can ease the pressure of change exchange and avoid the risk of counterfeit banknotes. In addition, whether it is unattended parking mobile payment or non-stop mobile payment, toll collectors will be reduced. Therefore, the reduction of personnel will greatly reduce operational management costs and have great economic benefits for business units.
The popularity of mobile payment also has great social benefits. The average transaction time of a non-stop mobile payment system is 0.6 seconds, which can greatly improve the traffic efficiency of vehicles, and reduce congestion. It can not only reduce the fuel consumption caused by vehicle queuing but also further reduce the carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions of vehicles, which has the benefits of energy conservation and environmental protection. It is an important measure to improve air quality. At the same time, the popularity of mobile payment has greatly improved the social image and service level, which is an important measure to promote the development of smart transportation.
The 19th National Congress clearly put forward the strategic goals of building national strength in transportation. Capacity and quality should be optimized. Intelligent transportation is an important measure to build national strength in transportation. With the development of science and technology, more and more new technologies will be applied to the operation and management of high speed in the future. High speed management will gradually realize intelligence, networking, and informatization, and provide better services for users with scientific and technological progress.