The province indicator on Sri Lankan number plates was originally introduced during the country’s civil war as a tool for law enforcement to trace the origin of vehicles. The system was designed to work in conjunction with RFID technology, allowing police to scan plates and quickly verify vehicle data. On paper, it was a sensible approach to improving road safety and security during a turbulent period.

However, the reality told a very different story. During a session of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance, DMT officials admitted that the Police Department never possessed the necessary hardware to read the RFID chips embedded in the plates. Without functioning readers at checkpoints or in patrol vehicles, the entire system was rendered useless from the outset. It was a technology rollout with no practical implementation on the ground.

The failure highlights a recurring problem with government RFID deployments worldwide: investing in one half of the equation while neglecting the other. Embedding RFID tags into millions of number plates is pointless if the agencies expected to use the data lack the scanners, training, and infrastructure to do so. The Sri Lankan case is a textbook example of poor coordination between departments and a lack of end-to-end project planning.

DMT officials pointed to a secondary reason for discontinuing the system, noting that the public had been paying inflated sums for specified number plates. But the core issue remains the gap between the technology deployed and the resources allocated to make it functional.

When pressed on how vehicles are currently identified without the province indicator or RFID capability, DMT officials conceded that “vehicles cannot be identified in such a manner” any longer. The Police Department, for its part, argued the system is no longer necessary given the absence of armed conflict in the country. That justification does little to address the wasted expenditure.

Harsha de Silva, who chairs the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance, did not mince words, calling the initiative “a total waste of public finance.” His criticism centred on the fact that the DMT had rolled out technology that the Police Department could never operationalize, a failure of inter-agency coordination that left taxpayers footing the bill for a system that never worked.

For the broader RFID industry, Sri Lanka’s experience serves as a cautionary tale. Successful vehicle tracking and identification projects require not just the tags and the plates, but a complete ecosystem of readers, software, trained personnel, and ongoing maintenance. Without that full commitment, even well-intentioned deployments are destined to fail.

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The partnership brings two integrated digital solutions to one of the country’s busiest road corridors. The first is a Service and Penalty Management platform that replaces manual cash-based workflows with a fully automated system for processing traffic fines, road service fees, and other charges. The second is the TOLO Mini App, an RFID-integrated feature within the telebirr SuperApp that allows drivers to top up their Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) accounts and pass through toll gates without stopping.

How the RFID toll system works

Drivers register their vehicles and link them to their telebirr accounts through the TOLO Mini App. Each vehicle is fitted with a UHF RFID tag, and upon registration the tag ID, toll card ID, and number plate are all digitally linked in the system. When a vehicle approaches a toll gate, the RFID reader detects the tag from a distance, deducts the applicable fee from the linked telebirr balance, and grants immediate passage. No stopping, no cash, no queuing.

The Mini App also supports fleet management, allowing a single account holder to manage up to ten vehicles and process top-ups on behalf of other drivers. This flexibility makes the system practical not just for private motorists but for logistics operators and commercial fleet managers using the expressway regularly.

Replacing manual processes with automation

Before this system was introduced, ETRE relied on physical cash handling, manual bank transfers, and manual data entry into ERP systems. That approach created predictable problems: congestion at toll booths, revenue leakage, and a high risk of errors or fraud. The new platform addresses all of these directly.

The Service and Penalty Management component covers payments for overweight vehicle violations, unauthorised expressway entry, property damage fees, tow crane and tipper services, and vehicle parking charges. Management teams now have access to a real-time dashboard with Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), giving centralised visibility over all revenue streams and improving accountability across the board.

Part of a broader digital strategy

The launch is positioned as a contribution to Ethiopia’s Digital Ethiopia 2030 roadmap, with Ethio telecom using its telebirr SuperApp platform as the backbone for both services. Telebirr already has a substantial user base across the country, which is expected to support rapid adoption of the digital toll and payment features without requiring users to install separate applications.

For the RFID industry, the deployment is a solid example of UHF RFID being applied at scale in a developing market, integrated directly with a mobile payment platform rather than relying on dedicated hardware or card-based systems. It also demonstrates the growing appetite for frictionless, contactless payment infrastructure in African transport networks.

The Addis Ababa-Adama expressway is one of the most heavily trafficked routes in Ethiopia, and the efficiencies gained here could lay the groundwork for rolling out similar systems on other toll roads across the country.

Read more at https://www.ethiotelecom.et/ethio-telecom-and-etre-unveiled-an-rfid-powered-toll-payment-system-and-a-service-penalty-payment-platform-powered-by-telebirr-enabling-seamless-expressway-mobility/

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Under the new directive, all mineral transport vehicles must be equipped with GPS tracking devices and RFID tags. These technologies will work together to provide continuous visibility of vehicle movement, enabling authorities to monitor routes, loading points, and delivery destinations in near real time. By combining location tracking with unique vehicle identification, the government intends to create a robust digital framework for managing mineral logistics.

RFID plays a critical role in this system by providing reliable, automated identification of vehicles as they pass through checkpoints, toll points, and weighbridges. Unlike manual checks or paper permits, RFID allows vehicles to be verified instantly without stopping, reducing congestion while ensuring that only authorised vehicles are transporting mineral loads. When integrated with GPS data, this creates a detailed audit trail that links vehicle identity, location, and movement history.

The mandate is part of a wider effort to curb revenue leakage caused by illegal mining and under reported mineral transport. By ensuring that every authorised vehicle is digitally tracked, the government can more accurately reconcile transported volumes with issued permits and royalty payments. This data driven approach supports fairer enforcement and helps protect legitimate operators from unfair competition.

From an operational standpoint, the introduction of GPS and RFID is expected to streamline compliance for transporters who follow the rules. Automated verification reduces the need for repeated manual inspections and paperwork, allowing vehicles to move more efficiently through the supply chain. Over time, this can lower operational delays while improving trust between regulators and industry participants.

The environmental dimension is also significant. Unregulated mineral extraction and transport can cause substantial environmental damage, including land degradation and pollution. Improved monitoring helps authorities identify suspicious activity more quickly and intervene before large scale harm occurs. Accurate tracking data can also support better planning and enforcement of environmentally sensitive zones.

The government has made it clear that the 26 January deadline will be strictly enforced. Vehicles that fail to comply risk penalties, restrictions, or exclusion from authorised mineral transport activities. This firm timeline underlines the seriousness of the initiative and signals a strong commitment to modernising mineral governance through technology.

This mandate demonstrates how RFID and GPS technologies are being adopted as essential infrastructure for regulated transport and resource management. By combining real-time tracking with automated identification, the Jammu and Kashmir government is taking a significant step towards greater accountability, efficiency, and sustainability in the mineral transport sector.

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