A STUDY ON CONSUMER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS FASTAG IN DINDIGUL CITY PDF

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CASIRJ Volume 11 Issue 4 [Year - 2020] ISSN 2319 – 9202 A STUDY ON CONSUMER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS FASTAG IN DINDIGUL CITY Author: Dr. S. Sukumar, Associate Professor in Commerce, Parvathy’s Arts and Science College, Dindigul 624002. Tamil Nadu, India Abstract Fastag is an electronic toll collection sys...

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CASIRJ

Volume 11 Issue 4 [Year - 2020]

ISSN 2319 – 9202

A STUDY ON CONSUMER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS FASTAG IN DINDIGUL CITY Author: Dr. S. Sukumar, Associate Professor in Commerce, Parvathy’s Arts and Science College, Dindigul 624002. Tamil Nadu, India Abstract Fastag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). It employs Radio Frequency Identification Technology for making toll payments directly from the any kind of bank account. The tag can be purchase/ recharge/ top up from official tag issuers or participating banks. NHAI Fastag has limited validity. In January 2019 state-run oil marketing companies IOC, BPCL, HPCL have signed MOUS enabling the use of Fastag to make purchases at petrol pups. As of September 2019 Fastag, lanes are available on over 500national and state highways and over 54.6 lakh car enabled with Fastag. NHAI has rolled out program for Electronic Toll Collection on Toll Plazas on National Highways to be called FASTag. FASTag is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid account linked to it. It is affixed on the windscreen of your vehicle and enables you to drive through toll plazas. FASTag has a validity of 5 years and after purchasing it, you only need to recharge/ top up the FASTag as per your requirement. It has been analysed by the researcher with adequate samples and results are presented. The following tools are used such as percentage, ranking, descriptive statistics, Likert scaling and factor analysis. Key Words: NHAI, Fastag, Charges, Toll Plaza, Documents for Fastag.

1. INTRODUCTION Fastag is a simple to use, reloadable tag which enables automatic deduction of toll charges and lets you pass through the toll plaza without stopping for the cash transaction. Fastag is linked to a prepaid account from which the applicable toll amount is deducted. The tag employs Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) technology and is affixed on the vehicle's windscreen after the tag account is active. To reduce vehicular traffic at the toll plazas, the Government of India (GOI) has mandated all toll plazas, pan India, to make toll payments electronic. With this mandate, all vehicles travelling through toll plazas will have to mandatorily pay toll charges using FASTag. The following benefits are 1. Ease of payment – No need to carry cash for the toll transactions, saves time 2. Near non-stop movement of vehicles leading to lower fuel cost. 3. Online Recharge – FASTag can be recharged online through Credit Card / Debit Card / NEFT/ RTGS or Net banking 4. SMS alerts for toll transactions, low balance, etc. 5. Online Portal for customers 6. Validity of 5 Years International Research Journal of Commerce Arts and Science http://www.casirj.com

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CASIRJ

Volume 11 Issue 4 [Year - 2020]

ISSN 2319 – 9202

7. Incentive: (a) Environmental benefit: • Reduced air pollution, • Reduced use of paper b) Social benefit: • Reduced toll payment hassles, • Analytics for better highway management. c) Economic benefit: • Reduced effort in management at toll plaza, • Reduced effort in monitoring centrally Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) (a company incorporated by National Highways Authority of India) and National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) are implementing this program with help from Toll Plaza Concessionaires, FASTag Issuer Agencies and Toll Transaction Acquirer. FASTag is presently operational at 240+ toll plazas across National Highways. More toll plazas will be brought under the FASTag program in the future. Tag Tag Tag Threshold Description Class Colour Deposit Amount Tag Joining Fee 99 0 Car / Jeep / Van Violet 200 200 4 TATA Ace and similar mini Light Violet 200 100 4 Commercial Vehicle Light Commercial Vehicle / Mini Bus Orange 300 140 5 Bus 3 Axle Yellow 400 300 6 Truck 3 Axle Yellow 500 300 6 Bus 2 Axle / Truck 2 Axle Green 400 300 7 Tractor / Tractor with trailer / Truck 4/ 5/ Pink 500 300 12 6 Axle Truck 7 Axle and above Blue 500 300 15 Earth Moving / Heavy Construction Black 500 300 16 Machinery TABLE 1 TOLL FEES 2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The main problem of toll plaza is how it is optimizing the queue length of vehicles and the time of customers in the system. My goal is to ensure that the toll plaza could handle the traffic flows without any problems. The objectives are to determine the number and different types of tollbooths in terms of single or multiple payment. The number of tollbooths has to be determined in order to process peak traffic hours without long waiting times. Two extreme but natural options would be:  To offer all types of payment systems in all booths.  To have separate tollbooths for each payment type. At the toll plaza, arriving vehicles have to choose a tollbooth depending on their payment system and the queueing length at the tollbooths that offered the desired payment system. Analysis of the performance of the queueing process at the toll booths therefore demanded a flexible method, since a wide variety of queueing configurations under different scenarios has to be analyzed. Out of many toll plazas in south region, I selected only one main toll plaza in Dindigul border namely Kolinjipatti toll plaza at Dindigul. I collected the data of cars and heavy vehicles of one hour at every day peak time. Hybrid lanes, which are yet to go cashless after the latest extended relaxation of FASTag for a month, are experiencing long queues resulting in a massive traffic jam at the various toll plazas. So that researcher made an attempt to analyse consumers services in NHAI titled that a study on consumer’s attitude towards fastag in Dindigul city International Research Journal of Commerce Arts and Science http://www.casirj.com

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CASIRJ

Volume 11 Issue 4 [Year - 2020]

ISSN 2319 – 9202

3. SCOPE OF FASTAG The Fastag facility is identified which would impact of its services for all the toll users. It is depending upon number of vehicle passed, kinds of vehicles, road condition, facilities offered for NHAI users, driving methods, safety measures taken by the NHAI for road users, weighting time, cash collection and returning the balance amount, passing speed of the vehicle, recharge of Fastag and reloadable tag which can be used at toll plazas; it enables automatic deduction of toll fees and allows you to pass through without you having to wait for any kind of cash transaction. Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) through FASTag was implemented with a view to save fuel, time and curb pollution as well as ensure seamless movement of traffic. The move also encourages digital payments. 4. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The following are the objectives of the present study To study the origin and growth of FASTag To analyze the socio-economic conditions of the FASTag users in Kolinjipatti Toll Plaza To know about FASTag users’ attitude 5. METHODOLOGY The present study has been basically designed as a ‘Descriptive Study’ with ‘survey’ as the technique of research. A questionnaire was constructed and validated by the researcher of the collection of data. The data were collected, coded, tabulated and analyzed using statistical techniques. Data collected through questionnaire were presented in a master table. From the master table sub-tables were prepared. The statistical techniques used in this study are percentage analysis. 6. COLLECTION OF DATA This study is based on both primary and secondary data. The required primary data were collected from the toll users by using the questionnaire constructed and validated by the researcher. The secondary data were collected from the published and unpublished records, books, journals, magazines, newspapers, websites and the like. 7. SAMPLING DESIGN The present study is mainly focused on the toll users. The researcher has selected 50 sample respondents each based on convenient sampling method. In order to collect the necessary information from the sample respondents, the researcher has conducted questionnaire method in each and every category. 8. GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE OF THE STUDY The study has been confined to Kolinjipatti toll plaza. This toll is chosen for the study as it has relevant and positive variables of the study. This toll is described and connect south area as which is known for its median place. More number of vehicles crossed this toll plaza to get connectivity of south and north. There are so many companies, colleges, residential, industry and port in this NH 7 who are having the maximum use of cars, vans, buses lorries, trucks, containers, so on. So, the researcher wants to select this area. 9. PERIOD OF THE STUDY This study was conducted during the month of January 2020. The fieldwork was carried out during the month of February 2020.

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CASIRJ

Volume 11 Issue 4 [Year - 2020]

ISSN 2319 – 9202

10. DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 10.1. SOCIO ECONOMIC FACTOR ANALYSIS Socio Economic factors are deciding that the services utilized by the customers in the market. The factors chosen for this study such as age, gender, occupation and income. It has analysed with the people who are using Fastag services in the market. NHAI is offering fastag facility to cross the toll plaza in quick manner and easy payment. But it depends on the life style of the people, need of the services, availability, utility and vehicle which are used. The age category classified 18 to 25 years, 26 to 33 years, 34 to 40 years and more than 40 years. Gender is classified under male and female. People employment status is classified like government servant, private employee, business people and professional people for this study. Income also segmented Less than 150000, 150001 to 350000 and more than Rs.350000 earned yearly. It is analysed with descriptive statistics by the researcher and resulted in the table no 10.1. TABLE NO 10.1. SOCIO ECONOMIC FACTORS ANALYSIS Std. Particulars Mode Median Mean Kurtosis Skewness Deviation 18 years to .00 .5000 .5000 .50508 -2.085 .000 25 years 26 years to .00 .0000 .1600 .37033 1.726 1.913 33 years Age 34 years to .00 .0000 .2000 .40406 .407 1.547 40 years More than 40 .00 .0000 .1400 .35051 2.684 2.140 years Male 1 1 .7000 .46291 -1.241 -.900 Gender Female .00 .0000 .3000 .46291 -1.241 .900 Government .00 .0000 .2400 .43142 -.443 1.256 Private .00 .0000 .5000 .50508 -2.085 .000 Occupation Business .00 .0000 .1800 .38809 .989 1.718 Professional .00 .0000 .1000 .30305 5.792 2.750 Less than Rs. .1 1 .8000 .40406 .407 -1.547 150000 150001 to .00 .0000 .1200 .32826 3.974 2.412 Income 350000 More than .00 .0000 .0800 .27405 8.534 3.193 350000 Source: Primary Data TABLE NO 10.1. Socio economic factors analysis As evident from the table 10.1 the value of mean, median mode is .5,5 and 0 respectively in age category. The mode is lower than the mean and median. This indicates that the distribution is positively skewed indicating high scores. Further the difference between mean, median mode is marginal indicating that the distribution is near normal. Hence it can be calculated that the selected sample is a representative of the population. The kurtosis of the sample is indicating that the distribution is platykurtic in nature indicating peaked distribution. It is observed gender category from the above table the value of mean, median, mode is 0.7,1 and 1 respectively. As the scores are gradually increasing this indicates that the distribution is negatively skewed. Further the difference between mean, median mode is marginal indicating International Research Journal of Commerce Arts and Science http://www.casirj.com

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CASIRJ

Volume 11 Issue 4 [Year - 2020]

ISSN 2319 – 9202

that the distribution is near normal. Hence it can be calculated that the selected sample is a representative of the population. The kurtosis of the sample is indicating that the distribution is platykurtic in nature. It is evident that the occupation is resulted in the above table the value of mean, median and mode is .5,0 and 0 respectively. This indicates that the distribution is positively skewed. The difference between mean, median and distribution is near normal. The kurtosis of the sample is indicating that the distribution is platykurtic nature. The above table 10.1 indicates that the mean value is .8. This indicates gradually increasing and that the distribution is negatively skewed. The kurtosis of the sample is indicating that the distribution is leptokurtic. 10.2. SCHEME OF FASTAG NHAI had more number toll plaza plans for the convenient of toll users. The schemes are monthly pass, top up schemes, free from charges and concessional charges, one-way trip and multiple journey. Recently the government made mandatory of electronic payment system for toll users. The researcher analysed that the schemes which are utilized by the toll users and the result is given in table no 10.2 PARTICULARS Monthly Pass Top Up Free from charges Concessional charges TOTAL

Res Per 30 60 20 40 0 0 0 0 50 100 TABLE NO 10.2. Scheme of fastag It is inferred from the above table no 10.2, Majority of the respondents using monthly pass scheme those who are traveling or passing toll plaza every day. 40 percent of the respondents made recharge when they need. Some of the respondents are opined that they are using single journey scheme. 10.3. MODE OF RECHARGE Fastag is a scheme to pass toll plaza without making payment on the spot. It is avoiding to made payment in toll counter instead of the toll users pay monthly once. The researcher classified the mode of recharge of fastag such as done through online, Recharges through cash in toll plaza and wallet banking. The result is given in table 10.3. PARTICULARS Res Per Through online 28 56 Toll plaza (Cash) 22 44 Wallet banking 0 0 TOTAL 50 100 TABLE NO 10.3. Mode of recharge It is learnt from the above table 10.3 that 56 percent of the respondents are done their recharge only through online. 44 percent of the respondents are recharged in consent toll plaza in cash mode.

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CASIRJ

Volume 11 Issue 4 [Year - 2020]

ISSN 2319 – 9202

10.4. PLACE OF RECHARGE The recharge of Fastag is mandatory for all the users. Every month fastag users can recharge and that is possible through various sources. The sources are recharge through agents, toll plaza officials and online recharge. The researcher made an attempt to analyse the place of recharging their tag and the result is given in table no 10.4.

PARTICULARS Res Per Through Agent 20 40 In Toll plaza 11 22 Through Online 19 38 TOTAL 50 100 TABLE NO 10.4 Place of recharge The above table points that among the respondent’s 40 percent recharged through the agents. 38 percent of the respondents done their recharge through online. Rest of the 22 percentage respondents recharged in consent toll plaza. 10.5. OPINION ABOUT COST OF FASTAG Fastag cost is differed from toll to toll, vehicle to vehicle and also based on the weight of the vehicle. It is fixed based on number of kilometer travel, type of vehicle and mode of toll operation. The analysis done to know the opinion about the cost of fastag and the result is presented in Table no 10.5. Particulars Res Score More 1 5 Expensive Expensive 21 84 No loss No 26 78 gain Profitable 2 4 More 0 0 Profitable Total 50 171 171/250×100 Result =68.4% TABLE NO 10.5 Opinion about cost of fastag The above table 10.5 shows the respondents toll users opinion towards the cost of fastag. The satisfaction score secured by a respondent 68.4. Majority of the respondents opined that the fastag is expensive. 10.6. FEATURES OF FASTAG In using fastag a greater number of features are available such as time saving, E access, cash free transactions, accident free zone, avoidance of long queue, save fuel, vehicle tracking system, scanning the vehicle, automatic approval to cross toll, no time limitation, amenities, customer redressal system, ambulance and first aid facilities, recovery vehicles, guidance, notification which is given by the government regarding the usage toll and NHAI, safety on road

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CASIRJ

Volume 11 Issue 4 [Year - 2020]

ISSN 2319 – 9202

and SMS notification. The researcher used weighted average ranking method to analyse the features and know the enjoyment of said features. The result is given in table no 10.6. PARTICULARS

Res

Weighted Rank Average 1 I .88 III

Save time 50 E Access 44 Cash Free 36 .72 V Transactions Accident Free Zone 5 .1 VII Avoidance of Long 42 .84 IV Queue Save Fuel 45 .9 II SMS Notification 35 .71 VI TOTAL 50 TABLE NO 10.6. Features of fastag It is inferred from the above table 10.6 that cent percentage of the respondents felt time saved while using fastag in toll. Hence the first rank has been gained by this factor. Second place goes to fuel savings. Following third rank is secured by E access. Fourth rank goes to avoiding long queue. Other features cash free transaction, SMS notification and accident free zone are placed fifth, sixth and seventh rank respectively. 10.7. ISSUES FACED IN FASTAG Toll users faced lot of problems while crossing toll plaza. The problems are improper scanning, technical fault, no help desk, lost or damage fastag, unauthorized vehicles, black list vehicles, wrong charges and discipline issues. The researcher analysed the above said problems in ranking technique and the result is presented in table no 10.7. PARTICULARS Res Rank Improper Scanning 41 III Technical Fault 44 II No help desk 45 I Lost or Damage Fastag 15 V Tag Unauthorized vehicles 0 VII Black list 20 IV Wrong charges 45 I Discipline issues 10 VI TOTAL 50 TABLE NO 10.7 Issued faced in fastag It is evident that table 10.7 that the majority of the respondents are faced no help desk and wrong charges while crossing toll plaza. Hence the first rank has been allotted. Following the technical fault is also faced by the toll users and it is secured second place. Third place goes to improper scanning. Other problems are secured the following ranks.

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CASIRJ

Volume 11 Issue 4 [Year - 2020]

ISSN 2319 – 9202

10.8. DOCUMENTS INVOLVED While applying Fastag NHAI is requested supportive documents with hard copy of application or online application. The requested documents are Aadhar card, Registration certificate, Vehicle insurance, PAN number and Vehicle photos. The above said documents are verified than the fastag tag is issued by authorized agency to the applicant. The researcher presented a result in Table no10.8. PARTICULARS Res Per Aadhar 40 II RC Book 50 I Insurance 40 II Vehicle Photo 50 I PAN 30 III TOTAL 50 TABLE NO 10.8 Documents involved It is observed from the above table 10.8 that the cent percentage of the respondents submitting their vehicle registration certificate and vehicle photo for identification. Hence these documents are secured highest response and secured first rank. Second rank goes to Aadhaar card and vehicle insurance. Third rank gained by PAN card. 10.9. OPINION ABOUT STATUS OF FASTAG In the earlier days NHAI given three options for taking toll ticket i.e. single journey, multiple journey and monthly pass scheme. It can be recharged through cash mode or through online. But the to do all the transaction through digitalization. The researcher made an attempt to analyse that the digitalization is mandatory or not necessary. The result is given in table no 10.9. PARTICULARS Res Per Necessary 46 92 Not Necessary 4 8 TOTAL 50 100 TABLE NO 10.9. Opinion about status of fastag Table 10.9 states that the majority of respondents are op...