As road funding challenges grow and digital tools mature, the question of how to modernize tolling across Europe is gaining urgency. In a recent Traffic Technology Today feature, industry voices – including our Founder and CEO, Nina Elter – weighed in on whether Europe is ready to embrace distance-based tolling.
The article, “Is Europe Ready for Distance-Based Tolling?”, examines the shift from traditional tolling methods to satellite-based solutions using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Countries like Poland and the Czech Republic are already demonstrating how this model can be implemented, offering valuable lessons for others.
Nina Elter, who has long worked on road pricing and mobility funding globally, was invited to share her perspective. In the interview, she emphasized the need for clearly defined objectives and transparency when implementing distance-based tolling policies:
Nina Elter, who has long worked on road pricing and mobility funding globally, was invited to share her perspective. In the interview, she emphasized the need for clearly defined objectives and transparency when implementing distance-based tolling policies:
“If we want people and stakeholders to accept and adopt new road funding mechanisms, they need to be transparent, equitable, and designed with a clear purpose,” Nina noted. “Distance-based tolling can work, but success depends on how well we engage with users and communicate what the system is trying to achieve.”
The article also explores the shift in roles within the industry – from traditional toll operators to toll service providers – as GNSS-based systems create new operational models and open the door for more flexible, user-based pricing.
As Europe looks ahead, Nina stressed the importance of aligning technology, policy, and public trust:
“Distance-based tolling is not just a technical upgrade. It’s a strategic shift in how we think about mobility, infrastructure, and fairness in road use. The real work lies in designing systems that are scalable and understood – not just by experts, but by the people using the roads.”Read the full article here: https://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/uncategorized/feature-is-europe-ready-for-distance-based-tolling.html