Platon (toll system)

Platon (Russian: Платон) is an electronic toll collection system established in Russia in November 2015. The toll is collected from trucks over 12 tons, with the proceedings going to a federal fund for road maintenance.[1] A subsidiary of the state-owned Rostec corporation holds a 50% stake in the collection system operator, with the Putin-associated Rotenberg oligarchs owning the other half.[2]

Originally scheduled for launch in 2013, the first detailed technical study for the implementation of the nationwide truck tolling system envisioned the construction of microwave-based gantries on all road segments of all major highways in the Russian Federation, similar to the system implemented in Austria in 2004.[3] Once it was decided to implement the system using GNSS road pricing rather than an infrastructure-based solution, the tolled road network applied to all the National Roads for a total length of 50,000 km - making it the largest single tolling system in the world.

The objective of the Platon system is to offset the damage caused by heavy trucks to the country's major highways.[1] As of April 2017, road users who drive vehicles included in the scheme are required to pay a levy of 1.90 rubles ($0.03) per kilometer.[4] Rosavtodor, the Russian federal agency for road transport, asserts that 58% of the damage to roads is caused by heavy trucks.[1] Revenues from the system amounted to 22 billion rubles in 2016.[5]

The implementation of the system sparked protest among truck drivers across Russia, especially in the Dagestan region.[6] Most truckers in Russia own and operate their vehicles as independent contractors, and many fear the levy will render their business unprofitable.[7] According to independent Russian media, the operation of the Platon system is considered to be unfair and ineffective, with reports that up to 70% of the trucks avoid paying the distance-based fees.[8]