Moja Expressway Company on Thursday, March 16, gave a breakdown of the Ksh3,000 fee charged for the subscription to the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) payment plan.
Corporate Affairs Officer Leon Lee explained that the funds were used to purchase the onboard unit (OBU) which is sourced from China.
The rest of the money is used to cater for the installation fee and load the OBU with cash to be used when using the Nairobi Expressway.
"Lee explains that the OBU costs USD10 and is procured from China. Ksh1,000 is the service charge that is waived because the company bears the cost of installation," the statement read in part.
The firm, which was meeting members of the East Africa Tour Guides and Drivers Association, responded to queries as to why some toll booths remained closed in some stations.
While installation of the OBU initially cost Ksh5,000, the price was reviewed to Ksh3,000 with motorists getting an equal number of points.
In addition, Lee confirmed that the ETC was the cheapest payment option since subscribers get discounts on trips. They also save time through the automated charging and payment system.
Gene Zhang explained that the lanes are opened and closed depending on the traffic volume on the Nairobi Expressway.
In addition, the tour guides and drivers sought an explanation of how the charging system works and why the operator chose to cap the speed limit at 80 kilometres per hour.
"It is based on only two factors; vehicle classification and the distance taken on the Nairobi Expressway, and that the limit was to ensure the safety of motorists," Zhang explained.
The firm stated that vehicle classification for passenger cars was based on the occupant capacity while in freight vehicles, the number of axles is considered.
A trip from the Mlolongo entrance to Westlands costs Ksh360, with charges varying if the motorists disembark along the way on the provided exits.
