ITS firm Q-Free has announced a major upgrade for state-owned Slovenian toll road network operator DARS to allow for truck and freight interoperability with Toll4Europe uniform payment solutions across Europe.
According to Q-Free, this efficiency upgrade will save time and money for trucking companies and drivers who will now be able to travel through Germany, Poland, Austria, and several other European countries using a single toll transponder.
Based in Germany, Toll4Europe is one of the largest tolling service providers on the continent, delivering interoperable toll systems to connect numerous interfaces, IT systems, and standards for communication and invoicing.
To add Slovenia to the growing list of countries under the Toll4Europe program, Q-Free and Telekom Slovenije upgraded the DARS tolling back-office system to integrate charging and payments, allowing a single onboard unit (OBU) to pay tolls seamlessly across borders.
“This is a major improvement for freight customers across Europe,” said Q-Free CEO Mark Talbot. “Truck drivers, freight companies, and fleet vehicles no longer need to use multiple accounts and transponders to move people and goods across borders. Now they can sign up once, get one invoice, and reduce the headaches of international travel and shipping.”
In 2016, Q-Free and its consortium partner Telekom Slovenije were awarded a 10-year contract by DARS to develop a multi-lane, free-flow electronic toll collection (ETC) system for Slovenia’s entire motorway network, specifically for vehicles over 3.5 tons. The system opened in 2018 and has since grown to cover 625km of roadway.
Q-Free built and maintains 133 tolling gantries throughout the network and delivered the operational back office in full compliance with European standards, while Telekom Slovenija manages the commercial back office.
“By providing tolling interoperability to its customers, DARS is optimizing back-office processes and data management, enabling more efficient invoicing,” added Talbot. “This partnership successfully integrates Slovenia into the Toll4Europe platform, simplifying cross-border travel for truck drivers across Europe and ultimately reducing congestion and emissions.”
