Early adopters of ERP 2.0 units can reposition their OBUs for free
Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said in Parliament on Wednesday (8 May) that motorists who have adopted the ERP 2.0 On-Board Units (OBU) as of 2 May, can reposition their unit for free if they wish.
This comes after complaints from some drivers that the location of the OBUs was inconvenient.
ERP 2.0 card reader difficult to reach, user questions OBU design
Currently, 18,000 vehicles have installed the OBUs since Aug 2023.
To ensure fairness, switching the location of the ERP 2.0 processing units will be free for these users, Mr Chee said.
On 2 May, LTA had announced that motorists can switch their OBUs after receiving feedback from early adopters.
Early adopters of ERP 2.0 OBUs can reposition for free if they want: Chee Hong Tat
Mr Chee had thanked early adopters for their early inputs and feedback and said he’ll let them do the switch to the driver’s side for free if they prefer that location.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Sembawang GRC MP Dr Lim Wee Kiak on whether motorists can use the small OBU used in motorcycles for larger vehicles, Mr Chee said the small OBU used in motorcycles would not be suitable for larger vehicles due to heating issues.
“It is quite clear from the measurements we have done, that the footwell, whether passenger’s side or driver’s side, the temperature there is significantly lower than…on a dashboard on a hot, sunny day.”
For example, in the footwell, the ambient temperature could go up to 38 degrees. On the dashboard, however, it could go as high as 50 to 52 degrees.
As motorcycles aren’t in an enclosed space, the temperature would not be as bad as compared to larger vehicles.
An encolsed environment increases the risk of overheating. But motorists would also not want a bulky dashboard unit should LTA choose to add cooling elements in the device, Mr Chee espoused.
Users of ERP 2.0 OBU no longer need to remove payment card
Dr Lim had also asked about Mr Chee’s experience with the unit as an early adopter.
The minister shared that like many early adopters, he’d previously had concerns over not being able to reach his payment card conveniently, if, for example, he’s using complimentary parking tickets.
But he was “very happy” that LTA introduced a new feature in April that allows drivers to deactivate their payment cards using their touchscreen display if they use complimentary parking tickets. This removes the need of having to take them out.
“We understand the concerns, or inconvenience for early adopters of having to remove and reinsert the CEPAS card in the processing unit,” he said.
He added that LTA has worked with its partners to improve the ERP 2.0 system so that motorists do not need to remove their CEPAS card from the processing unit when driving.
Drivers can also view the balance in their cards on the touchscreen display when they start their cars.
They can also choose to get automatic top-ups for their cards as well as the free Motoring Card for use at privately owned car parks without the Electronic Parking System.
The Straits Times (ST) notes that all public car parks and many private car parks use the Electronic Parking System.
Also read: LTA says ERP 2.0 offers more than current system, motorists argue that it’s not user-friendly
LTA says ERP 2.0 offers more than current system, motorists argue that it’s not user-friendly
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Featured image adapted from MCI Singapore on YouTube.
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