A system and method detect and manage conductive gaps between collector devices onboard vehicles and conductive pathways extending along routes traveled by the vehicles. The collector devices are conductively couplable to the conductive pathways. The system and method respond to a detected drop in an amount of electric current being conducted from the conductive pathway to the collector device of a vehicle with a responsive action prior to or during a subsequent drop in voltage being conducted from the conductive pathway to the collector device.