Via Verde
Encyclopedia
Via Verde is an electronic toll collection
system used in Portugal
since 1991. It is available at all toll roads
and bridges in the country since 1995. Toll roads and bridges are operated by Brisa Brisa - Auto-estradas de Portugal
.
Upon passing in a non-stop lane at a toll, a DSRC tag attached to the vehicle's windshield
transmits its identifier and the toll amount is debited directly from the client's bank
account.
If an exception is detected (the tag is invalid (or non-existent) or the vehicle's class (as detected by the lane sensors) does not correspond to the class encoded in the tag, amongst others) the vehicle is photographed and, if there is indication of fraud, a legal procedure is initiated.
This system provides for a good flow of traffic: usually the non-stop lanes on interchanges have a 40 or 60Km/h speed limit, tolls on the highway (as in between different tolling regions) have a 120km/h speed limit, and the system has been proven to work at speeds above 200Km/h (which are obviously unsafe, especially on narrow non-stop lanes).
The Via Verde system was the first to be universally applied to all the tolls in a country. Via Verde has gained widespread use in Portugal mainly because it can operate with any bank in the country, as there is a fully integrated cross-bank network (the SIBS
network).
• Class 1: vehicles with a height (measured vertically at the first axis) that are below 1,10m, with or without trailer.
• Class 2: vehicles with two axes and a height (measured vertically at the first axis) equal or above 1,10 m.
• Class 3: vehicles with three axes and a height (measured vertically at the first axis) equal or above 1,10 m.
• Class 4: vehicles with more than three axes and a height (measured vertically at the first axis) equal or above 1,10 m.
Some Class 2 cars are eligible for a class reduction. This is applicable for Class 2 cars that comply to certain rules (see IMTT for details). In general a car has to comply to the next rules: 1100≤h<1300mm (measured vertically at the first axis), 2300
In case your car is NOT on this list, but complies with these rules, a special inspection (inspecções extraordinárias) by Controlauto is needed. See the website for locations and prices. With an inspection report: go to a Brisa service point and have your Via Verde box changed to Class 1.
Electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...
system used in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
since 1991. It is available at all toll roads
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
and bridges in the country since 1995. Toll roads and bridges are operated by Brisa Brisa - Auto-estradas de Portugal
Brisa - Auto-estradas de Portugal
Brisa – Auto-estradas de Portugal, S.A. is Portugal-based international transportation company. The group's largest business area is highway management, in which it is the largest concessionaire in its home country. Founded in 1972, Brisa also has significant operations in countries including the...
.
Upon passing in a non-stop lane at a toll, a DSRC tag attached to the vehicle's windshield
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...
transmits its identifier and the toll amount is debited directly from the client's bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
account.
If an exception is detected (the tag is invalid (or non-existent) or the vehicle's class (as detected by the lane sensors) does not correspond to the class encoded in the tag, amongst others) the vehicle is photographed and, if there is indication of fraud, a legal procedure is initiated.
This system provides for a good flow of traffic: usually the non-stop lanes on interchanges have a 40 or 60Km/h speed limit, tolls on the highway (as in between different tolling regions) have a 120km/h speed limit, and the system has been proven to work at speeds above 200Km/h (which are obviously unsafe, especially on narrow non-stop lanes).
The Via Verde system was the first to be universally applied to all the tolls in a country. Via Verde has gained widespread use in Portugal mainly because it can operate with any bank in the country, as there is a fully integrated cross-bank network (the SIBS
Sibs
Sibs was an American sitcom broadcast by ABC as part of its 1991-92 prime time lineup.Sibs starred veteran actress Marsha Mason as Nora Rusico, a successful accountant and Alex Rocco as her longsuffering husband, Howie. The source of most of Howie's suffering was his wife's younger sisters , Audie...
network).
Vehicle Classes
Via Verde/toll works with classes for the various vehicles (see Brisa classes for details).• Class 1: vehicles with a height (measured vertically at the first axis) that are below 1,10m, with or without trailer.
- Motorcycles are considered class 1 in case of manual toll collection or class 5 when using Via Verde.
• Class 2: vehicles with two axes and a height (measured vertically at the first axis) equal or above 1,10 m.
• Class 3: vehicles with three axes and a height (measured vertically at the first axis) equal or above 1,10 m.
• Class 4: vehicles with more than three axes and a height (measured vertically at the first axis) equal or above 1,10 m.
Some Class 2 cars are eligible for a class reduction. This is applicable for Class 2 cars that comply to certain rules (see IMTT for details). In general a car has to comply to the next rules: 1100≤h<1300mm (measured vertically at the first axis), 2300
In case your car is NOT on this list, but complies with these rules, a special inspection (inspecções extraordinárias) by Controlauto is needed. See the website for locations and prices. With an inspection report: go to a Brisa service point and have your Via Verde box changed to Class 1.