New taxi flag-down rate not effective immediately – LTFRB

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) clarified that the newly approved flag-down of 140 and other adjusted rates on taxi units is not effective immediately.

Atty. Aileen Lizada LTFRB board member and spokesperson said that at the earliest, the new rates will be in effect in a month as two steps have to be followed.

She pointed out that the taxi units must be first reprogrammed by accredited taxi meter distributors and be tested and sealed by the LTFRB inspectors.

The LTFR inspectors will board the taxi units and do the actual testing to determine if the taxi meters are compliant to the newly approved taxi fare rates.

In the event the taxi meter erred in complying with the new rates, Lizada said it will be returned for programming while those that passed the test will be sealed.

With this explanation, Lizada warned the more than 10,000 taxi units plying the Metro Manila route of stiffer fines should they apply the new approved rates before being lawfully sealed by the LTFRB.

Lizada also asked all public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers including the “pasaway’’ (stubborn) cab drivers to carry themselves in the most appropriate manner as discourtesy against their passengers may result to the revocation of their driver’s licenses.

In cracking down on erring drivers, Lizada said that it is unfair to pin the blame on the operators for the misdeeds committed by the drivers.

Under current situation, all the sanctions due to the miscues of the PUV drivers are passed on to the operators based on the joint administrative order (JAO).

Under the LTFRB’s proposal, erring drivers stand to be meted a three-month suspension of their driver’s license for the first offense, sixmonth suspension on the second offense, and a possible revocation of the driver’s license on the third offense.

The LTFRB also raised concerns over the mounting complaints against taxi drivers who engage in contracting or refuse to convey passengers for a number of reasons.

Lizada added that the LTFRB is tinkering on the possibility of forging ties with the academe, particularly Reserve Officer Training Corps, National Service Training Program, and criminology students, to strengthen the implementation of “Oplan Isnabero.”

“Oplan Isnabero” is a campaign that aims to protect riders from abusive taxi drivers by placing complaint forms at every taxi bay.

Lizada encouraged the public to air their grievances against erring PUV drivers through the board’s social media accounts saying that such complaints will allow them to crack the whip on the guilty parties.

Citing inflation, the rising cost of fuel and spare parts and the worsening traffic situation, the LTFRB finally acceded, after seven years, to the plea for fare adjustment.

Under the new taxi fare structure, the flag down rate for the first 500 meters in the National Capital Region will be pegged at 140, while the rate the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will be pegged at 135.

In computing the succeeding rates, the LTFRB changed its formula from a per 300-meter basis to a per kilometer rate of 113.50 which is higher than the 110.50 currently charged for the succeeding 900 meters.

Instead of the 13.50 rate for every two minutes of waiting time, the LTFRB said that the taxi commuters will now be charged 12 for every minute of their travel time.