IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag: Paying For Fuel Is Now As Easy As Paying Toll

FASTag is the latest measure India has adopted in its move towards becoming a cashless and digital society. Besides making transactions more transparent, FASTag also serves a more practical, and some would argue, greater purpose – decongesting India’s notoriously choked toll plazas.

But what if it could also do the same for India’s fuel stations? That is precisely what IDFC FIRST Bank’s FIRSTforward FASTag helps you do – pay for toll and fuel with the same sticker. 

With the February 15, 2021, deadline for all passenger and commercial vehicles to get a FASTag, here’s why you should look at the IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag: 

IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag: One Tag, Two Benefits

Save for refreshment breaks, most of the stationary time on Indian highways can be attributed to traffic, toll, and fuel. Now, there’s little you can do about the former. But your wait times at toll plazas and fuel stations can be significantly reduced with the IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag. 

At toll plazas, it eliminates the need to stop for cash transactions. All you have to do is just slow down to around 10kmph while entering a toll booth and the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system will automatically deduct the toll amount from your FASTag. 

This reduces time and fuel wastage, apart from minimising pollution and the stress associated with serpentine toll queues. 

The IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag also helps you avoid similar frustrations when stopping for fuel. In an industry-first initiative, IDFC FIRST Bank has tied up with HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd.) to let you pay for fuel and toll using one FASTag sticker.      

Quick and Contactless Fuel Payment

While multiple payment options give you the power of choice, they also bring issues such as additional effort and unavailability due to downtimes and iffy mobile networks. Moreover, in the age of COVID-19, payment methods such as cash and cards also pose a risk to your well-being. 

With the IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag, you are immune to these issues while paying for fuel in any one of the 16,476 HPCL retail outlets spread across India. Just like your toll payment, an HPCL outlet’s RFID system deducts the fuel cost from your FASTag. 

This makes your fuel stops quicker and safer with zero human contact. More importantly, you don’t have to worry about spotty mobile network coverage either, a common issue when making mobile payments at highway fuel stations. 

One Account for Toll and Fuel Expenses

If you’re a frequent highway user or a commercial vehicle owner, toll and fuel are likely your biggest expense areas. So, it doesn’t help at all when you have to keep track of them individually via separate toll and fuel statements. 

The IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag comes to your rescue here by offering a single account statement for toll and fuel expenses. This makes it easier to keep track of how much you spend on each trip while leaving out expenditure related to food and sundry items.  

Pay More, Earn More!

The convenience of making short work of toll plazas and fuel stations aside, the IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag also offers a financial benefit. Actually, make that two. 

First, using the IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag to pay for fuel at any HPCL station gets you an instant discount of 0.75 percent. That’s right! No cashbacks or reward points to keep track of and encash later. A straight up 0.75 percent discount on your fuel bill. 

Second, by linking your IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag to an IDFC FIRST Bank Savings Account, you can earn an industry-best interest of up to 7 percent per annum. As you'd be aware, that is much higher than what banks offer as interest on term deposits. 

Get an IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag today

After its introduction in 2014, the FASTag has been steadily refined and rolled out across Indian highways. Today, it’s responsible for 80 percent of the toll collected on national highways. From February 15, 2021, that figure is going to be 100 percent. 

With the IDFC FIRST Bank FIRSTforward FASTag, you can play a part in this digital transformation of India while making your life more comfortable, hassle-free, and even lucrative when paying for toll and fuel. Click here to apply for a FASTag.