NDS Plans to Take Over Toll Collection from SkyToll Next Year (2)

Bratislava, 10 July (TASR) - The National Highway Company (NDS) won't extend its contract with SkyToll for managing the collection of tolls for vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, the motorway operator's communications department told TASR on Friday, adding that NDS is working intensively to take over toll collection on its own next year as this will reduce the cost to the level incurred in neighbouring countries. Last month, the deadline expired for exercising the option to extend the contract with the domestic toll provider until 2027. NDS chose not to exercise this option and is doing its best to take toll collection into its own hands starting as of next year. "Next year, once NDS takes over toll collection, all toll service providers will be placed on an equal footing, including in terms of commission and overall services. However, the state will reap the greatest benefits in the form of lower toll administration costs," said Peter Braska, member of the board of directors and director of the NDS toll collection and IT division. As part of the transition to a new toll collection system, the motorway operator achieved its first major milestone as early as in 2024. In March, the monopoly held by a single private company on toll collection in Slovakia was broken when international toll service providers entered the market. Transport operators can now choose the company through which they pay tolls. "Currently, in addition to the domestic provider, four other international providers are operating on the Slovak toll market. Nearly 64 percent of the total toll revenue is collected through them. State auditors have also acknowledged this fact in their audit report," said the motorway operator. In 2024, NDS took over the motorway sticker sales system from SkyToll. It is currently continuing to develop an information system that will be owned by NDS. "The state's property interests are fully protected, as the entire system, its components and data are being transferred to the exclusive ownership of NDS," stated the Supreme Audit Office (NKU) in its 2026 audit report. State auditors also confirmed that the new toll collection arrangement will significantly reduce the commission rate, which, although it has been gradually declining in recent years, remains unsatisfactory at present. "The new contract with the consortium promises a significantly lower commission rate," stated NKU. NOTE: This story has been extended to include the final five paragraphs. am/df