OmniAir Consortium®, the leading industry association promoting interoperability and certification for ITS, tolling, and connected vehicles, announces the launch of the nation’s first and only certification program for multi-protocol RFID tolling transponders and readers.

The new OmniAir® Certification program offers independent, third-party testing and certification for multi-protocol RFID tolling tags and readers that support the 6C, 6B-80K, and TDM protocols. 

OmniAir Multi-Protocol Tolling Certification is designed to meet the needs of infrastructure owner-operators in the procurement and deployment of trusted equipment for electronic toll collection.  OmniAir Certified® devices are interoperable, conform to industry standards, and meet stringent performance requirements in both laboratory and field environments.

The program builds on OmniAir’s over 12 years of experience in offering certification for single-protocol 6C RFID tags and readers, as well as connected vehicle radios supporting cellular-based or C-V2X technology.

This new certification program is the result of years of collaborative effort between the nation’s tolling agencies and operators, tolling system vendors, consultants, and leading test laboratories and test system providers.  The new certification program is the logical next step of OmniAir Consortium’s work in testing for National Toll Interoperability.

“Through our new certification program, OmniAir Consortium, and our members, are paving the way for National Tolling Interoperability,” said Jason Conley, Executive Director of OmniAir Consortium. “We would like to thank our volunteer members, and the broader tolling community for collaborating in the development of this new OmniAir Multi-Protocol Tolling Certification Program.”

OmniAir Consortium ensures that tolling devices meet specific standards through its certification process. This process involves checking various aspects:

• Protocol Conformance: Ensuring that the device follows specific communication protocols.
• Environmental Testing: Assessing how well the device performs in different environmental conditions.
• Minimum Performance Testing: Checking how the device performs based on specific parameters.
• Interoperability Testing: Testing whether the device can work well with other devices.
• Field Testing: Evaluating the device’s performance in real-world scenarios, including single and multi-protocol modes.
• Optional Testing: Additional testing for specific scenarios.

OmniAir develops a detailed test plan that our authorized test laboratories follow. These tests are conducted using qualified test equipment at their facilities and authorized field sites. OmniAir utilizes four main test specifications that were developed within our Tolling and Emerging Payments Working Group and were vetted and approved by OmniAir’s board of Directors.

• 800-OA-CONF-TDM – TDM Tolling Protocol Conformance
• 801-OA- -IO6B80K – ISO 6B-80K Tolling Protocol Conformance
• 802-OA- -ISO6C – ISO 6C Tolling Protocol Conformance
• 850-OA-Tolling-SPD-MPT-Test Plan

Eligible applicants may apply for tolling certification testing online.  

OmniAir offers laboratory testing for RFID tolling certification programs, in partnership with DEKRA North America, at their facility in Sterling, Virginia and at multiple OmniAir Authorized Field Test Sites across the United States.

To learn more about OmniAir’s certification programs, we invite you to visit our website or directly contact Ryan Hall, Vice President of Business Development. We are more than happy to address any question or provide additional information.

About OmniAir Consortium

OmniAir Consortium is the leading industry association promoting interoperability and certification for ITS, tolling, and connected vehicles. OmniAir’s membership includes public agencies, private companies, research institutions, and independent test laboratories. Learn more about OmniAir at www.omniair.org.