Germany Cancels Truck Toll

In a move that is estimated will cost the German government $8.31 billion in lost revenues, German transport minister Manfred Stolpe announced the cancellation of an ambitious high-technology toll collecting program, Toll Collect. The consortium of DaimlerChrysler, Deutsche Telekom and Cofiroute had requested a 500 million Euro severance fee in the event the system was found to be unworkable. Stolpe was quoted as saying this suggested the partners did not have sufficient confidence in their technology. The news is not all good for motor carriers hoping to avoid a toll. According to the Financial Times, the German government will reintroduce its Eurovignette levy system to collect fees from trucks while it issues a tender for a new alternative technology.