NPTS started the operation of the database of invalidated on-board units on 4 April
NTPS Plc, in compliance with its statutory obligation, will introduce from 4 April 2016 a database of invalidated on-board units, which is relevant for freight forwarders using OBU, but not for those using route tickets. The on-board unit is registered when, based on the GPS data forwarded by the OBU, the current HU-GO balance as registered in the system is not enough to cover the costs of using any further unit tolled section with the same vehicle parameters (number of axles, environmental category), i.e. when the balance runs out. Users are promptly notified via e-mail to their e-mail registered in the customer service website when they are registered in the invalidated OBU database. This notification does not automatically imply penalty, provided that the you refrain from using further toll sections, or top up your HU-GO balance, or pay for road use in advance (e.g. by purchasing a route ticket).
You can no longer use your invalidated on-board unit for toll declaration and, consequently, for obtaining road-use authorization for your cargo vehicle using the OBU for declaration. Also, the invalidated OBU and the registration number rendered to it may not be disconnected before the OBU is truck off the list.
In order for the cargo vehicle to continue using the toll road network lawfully, please top up your balance using your bank card at the hu-go.hu website, through our smart phone application or at a reseller, or purchase a route ticket for the remaining section(s). We suggest that you top up your balance with at least HUF 5,000. If you top up your HU-GO balance via wire transfer, please take the transaction processing time into consideration. For this reason, this method is not suitable for allowing the cargo vehicle to continue its journey without stopping. In this case, in order to avoid the penalty, it is a good idea to buy a route ticket.
Your on-board unit will be removed from the database of invalidated devices as soon as the funds appear on your HU-GO account. Users receive a notification via e-mail of the removal. After this, you can use the OBU for toll declaration again without any further obligation.
In order to avoid e-toll fines, it is advisable to go through typical errors and some key information:
When paying the toll through your on-board unit, before you begin your journey please check whether the unit is turned on, functions correctly, is rendered to the relevant vehicle, and the available balance is sufficient for your journey. It is reasonable to set the low balance alert function in the user profile at a level to allow the user sufficient time and opportunity after reading the e-mail alert to top up the balance. A lot of OBU users do not set a low balance alert and there is a significant number of users who set this threshold at a level around HUF 15,000. This does not leave much chance for the user to react because, for instance, in the case of a modern four-axle cargo vehicle (J4, environmental protection category A), this amount would hardly allow the driver to cover the Budapest-Röszke route on the M5 motorway.
When registering an OBE or planning a route with route tickets, make sure you enter the vehicle’s registration number and the belonging country code correctly, as the latter, in addition to the plate number, is the other important parameter for the identification of your vehicle. These data cannot be corrected in the HU-GO system after the penalty has been imposed.
Enter the correct number of axles when you attach or detach a trailer. For example, if you attach a trailer to a two-axle vehicle and now travel with four axles, you must change the J2 number of axles to J4; if you detach the trailer, you must reset the data to J2. If the number of axles is set incorrectly, it may result in an administrative fine. The number of axles must be set in the system before you begin your journey.
To avoid successive penalties caused by user errors, the activation of the alert function is recommended. The alert function sends a warning to the email address of the user registered in the HU-GO system if the control system detects or assumes unauthorized road use. It is important to note that due to legal requirements the alert system does not affect the process of imposing fines, and all data related to unauthorized road use are transferred to the authority in a closed control system. The alert function is available to all users registered in the HU-GO system, regardless whether they fulfil their toll payment obligation by purchasing route tickets or using an on-board unit. By default, the alert function is inactive. To use this function, the registered user must first activate it.
