Motorcycle Telepass: the extension is here to travel with a 30% discount, but for a few

The first steps of the new government and the arrival of summer have turned the spotlight on a problem that has been discussed for years: the reduction of the fare for motorcyclists. A necessary action according to many, given that, in addition to 2 fewer wheels, they have a lower impact on traffic and wear and tear on motorways. Last year a reduction arrived, although of 30% and not 50 as requested, but in fact it was, and continues to be, a half-joke. Why? Simple, the companies that manage the motorways don't like losing part of their income, moreover having to study a technical solution to do so. In fact, at toll booths the cars are "read" by automatic systems, capable of detecting the number of axles and details such as the height near the front wheels, to understand whether it is a van or a car and to classify them, to calculate the toll due accordingly. For motorbikes, at least so it seems, at the moment it is not possible to "recognise" them automatically, so it was decided to impose the use of the Telepass on those wishing to take advantage of the possibility of the 30% reduction. Not bad some would say, even if this is already a limitation that excludes a large portion of users, but we have gone further, because the device must be dedicated to a two-wheeled vehicle, without the possibility of sharing it with a car. In practice, to date, only large travellers, those who commute on motorbikes or travel a lot on our motorways, have signed up to the service, also due to the uncertain scenario of a timed intervention, first a year, now an extension for another 12 months . According to the latest data provided by Autostrade per l'Italia there are approximately 25.000 thousand out of 6.689.911 total bikers who benefit from the discount (we are talking about 30%). In short, a drop in the sea (lo 0,37%) which leaves the question and also its validity open.

Telepass motorbike: an announced flop

It seems strange, but in a country like ours, where every expense is paid attention to, the cost of tolls for motorcyclists is still shrouded in a veil of mystery. The strangeness lies in the fact that a discount for those who choose two wheels as a means of transport is a gesture of civility even before it is of justice. The reasons for a flop like this are linked above all to the fact that to access the benefits, as mentioned, it is necessary to sign a Telepass Family contract linked exclusively to each individual motorbike you drive. Without forgetting the bureaucratic and technical problems linked to the payment and actual detection of the vehicles, much more could be done, without major efforts. In essence, the spanner between motorcyclists is those who have the task of managing the motorway network, but who at the same time are chosen by citizens to travel, out of necessity or pure convenience in terms of time.

Motorcycle Telepass: a new extension arrives

In the end the resolution to the problem was a non-resolution. The new M5S minister, Danilo Toninelli, in fact, has opted for a 12-month extension of the agreement which will therefore expire in June 2019. Toninelli's tweet even has a mocking flavour: "We support those who travel on two wheels. I gave the green light to the one-year extension of the agreement between MIT and Aiscat to renew the 30% discount at motorway toll booths in favor of motorcyclists equipped with Telepass. Happy summer and safe travels".
We are certain that all the problems that have arisen in the last few days will be ready to arise again, if possible even more tangled.