Platon (toll system)
Platon (Russian: Платон) is an electronic toll collection system established in Russia in November 2015. The toll is collected from trucks over 12 tons, with the proceedings going to a federal fund for road maintenance.[1] A subsidiary of the state-owned Rostec corporation holds a 50% stake in the collection system operator, with the Putin-associated Rotenberg oligarchs owning the other half.[2]
The objective of the system is to offset the damage caused by heavy trucks to the country's major highways.[1] As of April 2017, road users who drive vehicles included in the scheme are required to pay a levy of 1.90 rubles ($0.03) per kilometer.[3] Rosavtodor, the Russian federal agency for road transport, asserts that 58% of the damage to roads is caused by heavy trucks.[1] Revenues from the system amounted to 22 billion rubles in 2016.[4]
The implementation of the system sparked protest among truck drivers across Russia, especially in the Dagestan region.[5] Most truckers in Russia own and operate their vehicles as independent contractors, and many fear the levy will render their business unprofitable.[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Kuchma, Anna (28 July 2015). "New tolls on heavy trucks to raise funds for road repairs in Russia". Russia Beyond The Headlines. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "Kremlin claims there was no string pulling in Platon system operator choice". TASS (in Russian). Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "About The ETC System". Platon. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ ""Платон" собрал 22 млрд рублей, но все равно недобрал". auto.vesti.ru. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
- ^ "The latest protest Moscow is trying to ignore: Thousands of angry truckers". Washington Post. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "Russian truckers drive a hard bargain". Politico. 9 December 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2017.