DOTR eyes use of GPS; dashcam

SAFETY FOR DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SOUGHT

THE Regional Transport and Railways Department is set to consult with the transport sector for the possible use of the Global Positioning System and dash cameras in their vehicles.

This consultation is a measure by the transport department to act on calls by passengers particularly of taxi's on their lost personal belongings believed to be left in the said public utility vehicle.

DOTR Cordillera Assistant Regional Director Mohammad Nasser Abbas said "This GPS systems purpose is for us to track any public utility vehicle for us to know the particular location of a vehicle in time of apprehension

for passengers who would have reported leaving their personal belongings inside the vehicles."

DOTR-Cordillera through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board office in the city have acquired the services of four Information Technology experts to respond to calls from passengers through phone and celby lular calls and text messaging to immediately conduct the tracking of vehicles.

"The problem which we currently experience is the time element passengers report it to the DOTR which sometimes would have been late, but if the public utility vehicle is equipped with a GPS, we will be able to track them on real time," Abbas explained.

Despite the consultation measure, the DOTR still reminds taxi drivers to be vigilant in retrieving personal belongings of their respective passengers and submit it to law enforcement operatives for them to inform their passengers.

Abbas said "Aside from the GPS, we would also want to consult with the transport sector on the possible use of dash cameras to record any actions before, during and after a traffic incident to help determine who would be accountable for a traffic accident,".

He added the recommendation for the use of dash cameras inside taxi's to help in identifying possible suspects who will commit a crime against the drivers and passengers.