SP free-flow fees for DOTRA begin to apply on Saturday, but legal impasse prevents fines from being implemented; Understands

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The new charging method is approved by ANTT and operates through bridges that read signs or signs, and calculate the value according to the route taken between kilometers 231 and 204. In this part, only those who choose the express route will be charged and the use of the marginal route remains free, ensuring an alternative without charging the driver.

Along the way, 21 bridges equipped with cameras and sensors will read license plates or tags (electronic stickers) mounted on the windshield, without the need to stop or reduce speed. For those traveling long distances, there is toll integration: vehicles that have already passed through the traditional toll plaza in Aruga and continue via the motorway will not be charged again in the automatic system.

In addition, a tolerance rule for services has been established. If a driver needs to leave the fast lane to get to a gas station or shop en route, they will have up to a two-hour buffer to return to the fast lane without generating a new arrival fee.

Variable prices and “list prices”

Unlike traditional fixed-rate fees, Dotra FreeFlow has a variable rate that is proportional to the distance traveled. The cost of the trip varies depending on the day of the week, time of day and the occurrence of long holidays.

During times of high demand and holidays, the base value can be multiplied up to five times, ranging from R$1.81 to R$9.06. These values ​​are displayed on boards installed before the entrances, allowing the driver to evaluate the cost before entering the highway.

At a point at kilometer 228, for example, options like Fernão Dias (R$0.25), Avenida Tiradentes (R$0.52), Airport (R$1.37) or neighborhoods like Bonsucesso and Pimentas appear, with prices above R$2.60.

For Guarulhos Airport, the reference value is R$1.37, but the cost can reach R$9.06 in busy times or on special dates. Motorcycles pay half price and the dealer provides a calculator to simulate the cost by day, time and destination.

• Fernao Dias Highway (0.25 R$)
• Avenida Tiradentes (0.52 Brazilian Real)
• Airport (R$ 1.37)
• Bonsucesso neighborhood (R$2.69)
• Bairro Pimentas (2.80 Brazilian Real)
• Dinar. Aracelia (2.82 Brazilian Real)

For those who use the tag, payment is made automatically, with a 5% discount for each ticket. Drivers without a tag have up to 30 days to pay the amount via the CCR website or app. It is also possible to register a credit card to activate automatic payment and receive SMS notifications about tickets, as well as to use self-service totems at the operational bases in São Paulo and Aruga.

For those who prefer personal service, self-service totems have been installed at the operational bases of the highway (at km 231 towards SP and km 202 towards Royal Jordanian). It is also possible to pay by cash or card in the approved network, starting from the Rede Duque service station, at km 210 (SP direction), with plans to expand to Sakamoto station (RJ direction).

The introduction of the toll ends a long period of free use on a road corridor marked historically by chronic traffic congestion, which crosses densely populated areas between Guarulhos and the northern region of São Paulo. This fee was part of the concession contract signed in 2021, when CCR won the auction by submitting a grant worth R$1.77 billion made during the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro and the then Minister of Infrastructure, Tarcisio de Freitas.

In this scenario, automatic charging debuts under a court order that prevents non-compliant drivers from being punished. The Sixth Federal Court of Guarulhos accepted a request from the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) and prevented, by injunction, the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) and the Federation from applying sanctions to those who cross the gates without paying.

In the action, the Public Ministry says the ANTT pilot identified unwarranted fines and difficulties in identifying license plates, and requests more clarity on the destination of the amounts collected. The court’s decision maintained the charge, but banned the penalty stipulated in the Traffic Law, which would be R$195.23 and five points on the CNH. The federal government’s appeal against the injunction has not yet been decided.

For MPF, the current model suffers from a lack of transparency and “systemic flaws” that put the user at a disadvantage. In light of these signs, the court considered it necessary to suspend penalties to ensure a more detailed analysis of the legality and proportion of these charges, and to avoid direct losses to drivers.

As a contractual precondition for commencing collection operations, the concessionaire had to implement a robust package of interventions to increase traffic capacity. The company delivered the third track on the high-speed line in the section linking Rhodovia Helio Smit to the entrance to the capital, in addition to new bridges designed to speed up access to both the international airport and the eastern region via Ponte do Tatuape.