ITC calls on drivers to register for toll gate ahead of 2nd January, 2021, activation

ABU DHABI, 8th December, 2020 (WAM) -- The Abu Dhabi's Integrated Transport Centre, ITC, of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, DMT, called upon vehicles owners to set up and activate their accounts online with "Darb" Toll Gate System, through the traffic tollgate system website https://darb.itc.gov.ae or "Darb" mobile Application (App Store|Google Play|AppGallery).

The ITC has also invited users to ensure that their accounts are activated and that all their vehicles are registered, with sufficient wallet balance to avoid fines. The vehicle registration fee to Darb account is AED100 per vehicle, of which AED50 will be credited as a balance in the registered account.

Darb Toll Gate System Activation on January 2, 2021 The ITC announced that the Darb Toll Gate System will be activated from 2nd January, 2021, at four gates located on the bridges leading to Abu Dhabi city. These are the Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Bridge, Al Maqta Bridge and Mussafah Bridge. This approach aims to smoothen the traffic flow, enhance the efficiency of the transport sector, reduce the use of individual vehicles and encourage community members to use alternative means of transport, which aligns with Abu Dhabi's Surface transport Master Plan.

Additionally, implementing the traffic Toll Gate System will allow drivers to organise their schedules and plan their trips, as well as choose the most appropriate times to travel and determine the best transportation alternatives. This will positively influence the sustainability of the transport sector and preserve the infrastructure and environment. This will also improve the quality of roads and adopt the best specifications and standards for various means of transport.

ITC expressed its gratitude to its stakeholders, the Abu Dhabi Police, Monitoring and Control Centre, Abu Dhabi Digital Authority and the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship for their support and contribution to the success of Darb.

Toll collection is limited to peak hours only The ITC will charge AED4 each time a vehicle crosses any of the mentioned gates above during peak hours from Saturday to Thursday from 7:00 to 9:00, and from 17:00 to 19:00.

A daily and monthly caps for individual vehicle tolls The executive regulations of the DMT have fixed the maximum daily tolls for individual vehicles at AED16 per vehicle, with a complete exemption during off-peak times, Fridays and public holidays.

According to the regulations, the monthly toll cap for each vehicle depends on the order of the vehicle in the system, with a maximum of AED200 for the first vehicle, AED150 for the second vehicle, and AED100 for each additional vehicle. In case one of the individual vehicles is exempted, the monthly limit will be applied to the remaining vehicles. For corporate vehicles, only approved tolls will be applied, without applying the daily or monthly toll cap.

The predefined monthly cap for individual vehicles will contribute to a tangible reduction in the charges paid by road users and maintain the goals of the toll system to reduce congestion and enhance the traffic flow, especially at peak times.

The fees will be deducted automatically from the user's account balance that is prepaid through an integrated and advanced e-payment wallet. Vehicles will be captured through their plate number without the need to affix any label on the vehicle’s windshield.

Exempted Categories The DMT and ITC announced a traffic toll exemption to four community groups: Senior Emiratis, retired Emiratis, People of Determination, limited-income Emiratis, provided that the exemption will be limited to one vehicle only, according to the controls set to achieve the highest levels of social and economic stability and to keep providing them with all the needed support.

ITC requested the exempted categories to visit the Darb website, register in the system and apply for exemption request by specifying the type of exemption and attaching the necessary documents.

People of Determination Category: It is not required for the vehicle to be registered in the name of the person of determination directly. All that is needed is to attach the People of Determination Card issued by the Ministry of Community Development or the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination. To benefit from the exemption, the vehicle must be owned by a first or second-degree relative only.

The exemption can be transferred from one vehicle to another at the request of the exemption holder. In such cases, the first vehicle exemption will be cancelled.

Senior Emirati Category: As defined by law, elderly citizens include every UAE national aged 60 years and above. It is required that the vehicle is registered in the name of the concerned person.

Limited-income Emirati Category: This category must meet the conditions set by the concerned government entities for supporting low-income Emiratis. Those who are applying for exemption are required to hold a document proving their eligibility under this category.

Retired Emirati Category: This applies to the retirees defined by the concerned authority in the UAE.

Additionally, the vehicles exempted from toll gate fees include ambulance, armed forces and civil defence vehicles bearing their number plates and emblems, public buses, public taxi vehicles licenced in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, school buses authorised by ITC, passenger buses (with a capacity of 26 passengers and above), vehicles bearing the number plate of the Abu Dhabi Police, Ministry of Interior or local police of other emirates, towed vehicles, and motorcycles. Registration in Darb is mandatory for all users, including those eligible for exemptions.

Accordingly, all vehicles must be registered in the system before crossing the toll gates. In case a vehicle is not registered in the toll gate system and crosses through the toll gates, the user will be given a grace period of ten business days to register the vehicle in Darb system, otherwise, a fine would be applied.

Users should also ensure sufficient balance in their accounts when crossing the toll gates. However, the vehicles registered in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi can pay toll gate fee via post-payment system upon initiating any procedure related to vehicle licensing in case the registered vehicle does not have sufficient balance.

In case the vehicle registered outside the Emirate of Abu Dhabi crosses the gates with insufficient balance in the wallet, the user will be given a grace period of five business days to recharge the account, otherwise, a fine would be levied.