ITS firm Q-Free has been awarded a three-year, multi-million-dollar contract to supply 2.4 million tolling transponders to Via Verde Portugal, one of Europe’s largest providers of transponders and onboard units.

Under the agreement, Q-Free will deliver interoperable devices designed to function seamlessly across toll roads in Portugal, Spain, and France.

Portugal has a long tolling history and is where Via Verde launched the world’s first integrated, multilane free-flow electronic toll collection system. With high market penetration, Via Verde’s widely adopted dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) transponders go far beyond tolling, enabling seamless payments for parking, drive-through services, ferries, vehicle inspections, and more.

Q-Free’s transponders are ideally suited for these applications, featuring a long battery life built to support high-frequency daily transactions, reliably and accurately. Having been the incumbent provider for the past three years, this new competitive bid agreement extends Q-Free’s long-term business partnership with Via Verde for another three years.

Fredrik Nordh, EVP of tolling for Q-Free, said the agreement had been years in the making. “Portugal is a key tolling market for Q-Free, and we’ve worked hard to establish and maintain our relationship with Via Verde. This project validates that work and our success,” he explained. “We are excited to extend our work together at a crucial time in the evolution of the tolling industry in Europe.”

The two companies first established their partnership more than 20 years ago. Throughout their history together, the percentage of Q-Free products returned for warranty issues has been extremely low, and Via Verde cited reliability as a factor in its decision to award this contract.

The company also acknowledged Q-Free’s commitment to sustainability, specifically in manufacturing and product packaging, logistics, and operations, as well as the company’s ability to potentially recycle and service transponders inside Portugal.

“As a global solutions company, we’re particularly excited to expand our work with Via Verde,” said Q-Free CEO Mark Talbot. “We share common values and understand the importance of true collaboration. I believe our relationship could set a standard for partnerships in the future.”