FASTag Uses and Benefits 04th Feb 2020
Do you travel a lot by road? Are you tired of waiting for your turn at toll plazas on the interstate highways or expressways? Do you wish to get done with it as quickly as possible? If yes, then you must get a FASTag! As the name suggests, a FASTag is a tag which is a mean to ensure faster transit across toll plazas. The tag is placed on the windshield of the car and uses Radio Frequency Identification Technology. The tag is scanned by the tag readers placed at toll booths who then deduct the toll amount from the FASTag account. All toll plazas placed along the national highways are now using FASTag for payment of toll as per the guidelines of the government of India.
As the balance in FASTag reduces, the user needs to reload the balance in the linked wallet account or the linked bank account. By eliminating the need for cash payments at toll plazas, FASTag ensures a quicker and smoother flow of traffic.
The following reasons highlight how using a FASTag can help you save time on your journey: -
● Quick payment - As there is a FASTag affixed to your car, you wouldn't have to search your wallet for cash which ultimately reduces the duration of the transaction and your time is saved.
● Less fuel wastag - As you do not need to stop and restart your vehicle, less petrol or diesel is burned, which saves your fuel tank from draining quickly.
● Hassle-free recharge- You can easily recharge your FASTag using various methods like Internet banking, mobile wallet apps, NEFT, RTGS or even your credit and debit cards.
● Message alerts - Every time your FASTag is used, you get an alert SMS on the mobile number registered with the card which ensures the prevention of its misuse.
● Long validity- A FASTag is valid for five years, which means you need not worry about changing it frequently.
● No requirement of cash - The work of cash is taken over by the FASTag. Therefore, it eliminates the necessity of carrying cash for toll payments.
● Online portals- You can check the transactions made using your FASTag whenever you wish using specific web portals meant for the same.
Now, onto some Frequently Asked Questions: -
How to get a FASTag?
To buy a FASTag, you can ask the toll plaza employee for their sales department, or contact authorized agencies or banks that sell them. Many platforms offer car insurance quotes online and sell FASTag as well.
How much does a FASTag cost?
Generally, a FASTag can cost you around two hundred rupees for the purchase, which excludes recharge expenses.
Where is it placed?
FASTags are affixed on the windshield of the car in a very specific manner that allows the scanners placed at the toll plaza to scan it.
How to know if your card has been used?
As stated in the above benefits, a text message is delivered to the registered mobile phone when the FASTag is used. This is a sort of confirmation to the owner that payment has been made.
Do you need to maintain a certain balance?
You don't need to maintain a balance for sure, but yes there is a minimum value for a top-up of the tag which amounts to a hundred rupees.
Where is a FASTag valid?
Throughout the country, a FASTag can be used to make payments at toll plazas regardless of the city or state.
While getting FASTag will help you zoom seamlessly on the highways, do remember to check car insurance quotes online to get protection against possible accidents and incidents while on the road.