Swiss HVF HV Toll Scheme

Introduced in January of 2001, the Swiss HVF Toll Scheme has generated significant gains in both economic efficiency and improved environmental outcomes. The HVF toll scheme operates as follows:

• The fee is applied to heavy vehicles with a total weight of more than 3.5 tons on the entire road network in Switzerland
• The rate of the fee depends on three factors: the distance driven, the maximum laden weight of the vehicle, and the emissions category of the vehicle
• The revenues of the fee are used primarily to finance the railway infrastructure program.

The primary technology for metering road use and storing billing data is an OBU that incorporates DSRC and a connection to the vehicle tachograph (which includes odometer information). The maximum laden weight of the vehicle and the emissions class are stored in the OBU. In order to record the distance driven, the on-board unit is coupled to the odometer (via the tachograph), enabling the unit to register the distance travelled within the country.

To prevent charges for trips outside of Switzerland, microwave transmitters are mounted on overhead gantries at all major border crossings. Each time a vehicle leaves Switzerland, a signal from the transmitter deactivates the OBU distance-tracking feature, and each time the vehicle re-enters, another signal reactivates the tracking feature. The GPS antenna serves as a backup for registering border crossings that occur on non-standard routes, such as minor roads or via motor rail (the GPS is also used as a backup check on the accuracy of the odometer readings). To prevent toll evasion, DSRC stations are distributed throughout the road network to verify the correct functioning of the OBU.

The recording of the data cannot be manipulated by the drivers. The only information they are entitled and able to enter themselves is the coupling or uncoupling of a trailer. Each month, the data stored in the OBU is registered on a chip card and forwarded to the federal authorities who use it as basis for the calculation of the fee and the appropriate monthly invoices.

An evaluation of the Swiss HVF Toll Scheme found that the system generated significant gains in both economic efficiency and improved environmental outcomes. Vehicle figures demonstrate that the HVF scheme generated an overall gain in productivity of 18% in road transport due to the higher weight limit and fewer vehicles. The introduction of the polluter-pays principle, inherent to the HVF scheme also reduced HV greenhouse gases by 30% through higher payloads and fewer, cleaner vehicles, compared to what would have been if the old regime had been maintained.