The "annual road and bridge toll pass system" refers to a charging model in which some cities "bundle" a vehicle owner's full-year road and bridge fees into a single payment. The aim is to improve traffic efficiency and reduce congestion. However, for some vehicle owners, the annual pass system brings considerable frustration.

　　Baoji in Shaanxi, one of the pilot cities for the annual pass model, has been testing it for eight years. Some vehicle owners report that they must buy the annual pass whether they drive or not, and that they must purchase it before their vehicles can pass annual inspection.

　　Mr. Liu, a vehicle owner who lives in Qishan County, Baoji, Shaanxi, said he rarely travels to Baoji's urban area, more than 70 kilometers away, yet under the annual pass he has to pay the road toll every year whether he drives there or not.

　　Mr. Liu: I only drive within Qishan County all year and never go into Baoji's urban area, but I still have to pay 280 yuan a year. I feel this money is rather unjustly charged. Is this fee reasonable or not?

　　As early as eight years ago, the Shaanxi Provincial Price Bureau issued the "Notice on the Pilot Implementation of the Annual Pass System for Urban Road Vehicle Tolls in Baoji City," approving the abolition of bridge toll stations starting July 1 of that year and the implementation of an annual vehicle toll pass system. Small vehicles in the urban area are charged 800 yuan, while vehicles in counties and districts farther from the urban area receive a 30–50% discount. Although the local government has repeatedly stated that the annual pass system is intended to improve the investment environment and facilitate vehicle passage, controversy over Baoji's pilot annual pass system has continued unabated, whether in media reports or on relevant vehicle owner forums.

　　Vehicle owner Mr. Wang: This makes no sense. I rarely drive my private car into Baoji's urban area; it is usually just parked at home.

　　In addition, Mr. Sun, a vehicle owner who had just taken his vehicle for annual inspection not long ago, reported that before the inspection someone also checks the annual road and bridge toll pass.

　　Mr. Sun: At the inspection site, the first step is to check this receipt. If you don't pay, they won't inspect the vehicle. If you don't pay, you also have to make up the previous payments.

　　The reporter then contacted a vehicle inspection station, and a staff member said that before inspection, in general, the annual road and bridge toll pass indeed needs to be paid first.

　　Reporter: If I don't pay, can I still get the annual inspection done?

　　Vehicle inspection station: Before inspection, we generally require it to be paid; it is best to pay it together.