Planning a road trip but worried about the expenses? A FASTag linked to your bank account can relieve much of that money stress.
A FASTag is a simple sticker that you affix on your vehicle’s windscreen. It utilises Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to enable contactless transactions at toll plazas. As your vehicle approaches the plaza, the tag is scanned, and the appropriate toll amount is determined based on vehicle category and automatically deducted from the linked prepaid or savings account.
There’s no need to stop to pay cash. You can easily check FASTag balance by logging into your linked bank account or giving a missed call to the provided number.
How FASTag Makes Road Trips Budget-Friendly
Using a FASTag for road trips can lead to major savings through discounts, cashback, time, and fuel savings.
Financial Savings
FASTag users enjoy several financial benefits:
- Toll discounts: You get a 2.5% to 10% discount on base toll charges on national highways when you pay via FASTag. This discount varies across different toll plazas.
- Cashback: Many banks offer cashback on FASTag transactions. For instance. This cashback is directly credited to your linked account periodically.
- Loyalty benefits: Banks offer loyalty programs for frequent FASTag users through reward points and transaction-based rewards. You can redeem these for additional perks.
Time Savings
FASTag saves you precious time that would otherwise be wasted in long queues at toll plazas:
- No stopping at plazas: Vehicles with FASTag breeze via toll plazas without stopping for cash transactions. This saves several minutes per toll naka. These small time savings for regular travellers add up to hours saved over months.
According to NHAI estimates, FASTag lane processing time per vehicle is twice as fast as cash lanes, saving 2 to 3 minutes per transaction. For a 300 km journey with 3 toll plazas, you save up to 9 minutes.
Fuel Savings
Reduced idling time at tolls directly translates to fuel savings:
- No stop and start: Non-stop passage enabled by FASTag ensures engines needn’t be switched off and on at plazas. Starting an engine leads to extra fuel consumption of 0.04 to 0.06 litres for small cars. FASTag does away with this cost.
- No revving in queues: On highways, cars burn fuel even when standing idle. FASTag cars skip toll queues, resulting in up to 15% fuel savings over cash-paying vehicles.
Stress-Free Travel
FASTag also makes road travel relatively hassle-free:
- No cash hassles: You don’t need to keep cash in hand or stop to collect change at tolls while driving. FASTag deducts automatically from the linked prepaid account.
- No queue rage: Traffic jams, aggressive drivers, and frayed tempers are common near congested toll booths. FASTag allows you to bypass such unnecessary stress zones.
Get Your FASTag from IDFC FIRST Bank
Given all its plus points, getting a FASTag early makes good sense, especially if you drive often.
IDFC FIRST Bank offers an affordable and quick-to-acquire FASTag – IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag – India’s first FASTag with toll,
fuel and parking payment benefits You can apply for it via net banking or visit the nearest branch.
The Bottom Line
So, if those excessive fuel bills have been crimping your travel budget, seriously, it’s time to consider switching to IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag. Invest in this simple technology today and enjoy the manifold rewards – financial and beyond – every time you hit the expressway!
