The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) said Sunday it is prepared for an influx of motorists on major expressways this week as travelers head out for the Christmas holiday.

TRB spokesperson Julius Corpuz said teams have been deployed to assist motorists and toll operators. While cash lanes remain available at all toll plazas, Corpuz urged drivers to switch to radio frequency identification (RFID) to reduce wait times and eliminate long queues.

“We always encourage them to switch to RFID so they can feel the big difference in transactions,” Corpuz said in a radio interview.

The agency highlighted the "One RFID, All Tollways" program, launched in October by operators Autosweep and Easytrip. The initiative allows a single RFID sticker to work across all Luzon expressways, whether traveling north or south.

Corpuz advised motorists experiencing scanning issues at toll barriers to visit installation centers for "health checks" on their stickers. He noted that some tags may malfunction after prolonged exposure to the sun.

Traffic on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) was reportedly light on Sunday morning despite the weekend rush for holiday shopping. However, traffic volume is expected to swell following a heavy surge observed from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening.

Robin Ignacio, NLEX assistant vice president for traffic operations, said high vehicle volumes in both directions have made traditional counterflow schemes difficult to implement.

To manage the surge, NLEX is providing free towing services for Class 1 vehicles through 6 a.m. Monday, and again from 6 a.m. 23 December through 6 p.m. 25 December.

Additionally, NLEX will waive toll fees during two holiday windows: from 10 p.m. 24 December until 6 a.m. 25 December and from 10 p.m. 31 December until 6 a.m. 1 January 2026.