With Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantries springing up everywhere and vandals smashing windscreens to pinch cashcards, it's probably only a matter of time before you get caught under a gantry with your proverbial pants down.

Motorists who fail to have sufficient funds in their cashcard or don't have a cashcard slot into their In-vehicle Units (IUs) are required to pay an 'administration fee' of $10 plus the due ERP charges.

But to most motorists, the pain isn't in the extra $10 that's levied, but the inconvenience encountered when trying to pay the 'fine'.

Singapore Post's Self-Service Automated Machines (SAMs) and AXS stations may be scattered across the island, but queues still form during peak hours in the evenings and on weekends. (Scroll to bottom for full list of payment options)

One lesser known service that motorists might not know about is the Easi-ERP service, that allows SingTel mobile customers to have their outstanding ERP charges added on to their phonebill, with the administration fee reduced to $4 instead of the usual $10.

The catch?

The car or motorcycle owner needs to be a SingTel mobile customer in order to have the service activated, plus there's a one-time registration fee of $1.

No issue with either point? Just dial *377 (which spells *ERP in SMS-speak), hit the call/send button, and follow the SMS instructions. (For details, refer to www.singtel.com/Easi-ERP)

Successful sign-ups will receive a confirmation SMS, plus you'll also be notified via SMS if you happen to commit an ERP violation from then on.

WHY SIGN UP NOW?

From now till 30 April, signing up for Easi-ERP gets you a chance to win $3,000 worth of prizes that include Sony bluetooth headsets, and more than $1,000 in petrol vouchers.

CHARGE IT

Also in the pipeline, is the option of paying for your ERP charges via your credit card.

According to news released earlier this year, motorists will not even need to bother with cashcards as they will have the option of getting their ERP charges added to their credit card bills.

The service is scheduled to be rolled out sometime in the middle of this year.

HOW TO PAY FOR OUTSTANDING ERP CHARGES

- via e-payment services at www.onemotoring.com.sg using the notice number indicated on the payment letter
- at AXS stations and SAM using the vehicle registration number or notice number indicated on the payment letter
- at Post Office counters with the payment letter
- through UOB, OCBC and DBS/POSB electronic banking facilities using the notice number indicated on the payment letter
- at LTA counters at 10 Sin Ming Drive, Singapore 575701
- by sending a cheque to Singapore Post Centre Post Office, P.O. Box 491, Singapore 914017 quoting the vehicle number and notice number on the reverse of the cheque.