Council mulls giving tri-cabs green light
The City Council’s committee on Public Utilities is considering giving operators of ‘colorum’ tri-cabs, or public utility vehicles which operate without franchises, permission to allow them to travel and pick up passengers without fear of being caught by traffic enforcers.
City Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr., chairperson of the committee said he will consider and study the request of tri-cab operators and include them in the local transport routing plan that the committee is set to create.
Tri-cabs, known in India, their country of origin, as tuk-tuks or auto rickshaws, are fast becoming a competitor of the motorelas and jeepneys in terms of cheap public transportation.
But Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Northern Mindanao Director Aminoden Guro said tricabs have been operating without permits.
Guro said tricabs operators can apply for a franchise from the LTFRB but first they have to secure an authorization to operate from the local government unit or even the barangays.
“The LGU or the barangay that should give them authorization to operate under the Joint Memorandum Circular #001 series of 2017 by the Department of Transportation and Department of Interior Local Government, given that the documents of Tricab are met and the driver has license,” Guro said.
Guro said although the local government has the power to allow them operate, he pointed out that the tri-cabs cannot travel along national highways.
He said the city could make a special lane where the tri-cabs could pass.
“Pwede nga tagaan sila’g franchise pero dili sugtan nga muadtog national highway, pwede pud baranggay to barangay pero magbutang tag space sa mga kalsada ug motorcycle lane ug tricab lane, depende sa mahisgutan pud sa plano sa atong city council,” he said.
Loloy, a tricab driver in barangay Agusan said some people prefer tri-cabs instead of other transportation, because it is fast and cheap.
“Sa tricab man gud paspas, maong kanang mga estudyante ug trabahante nga gadali dili malate unya mabuhi pa gyud mi nga mga driver, mabuhi ang mga operator, ug mabuhi sab among mga pamilya,” Loloy said.
Barangay Agusan chairperson Andrew Melliza said there is also a need for regulation and discipline among drivers of tri-cabs.
Tablon Barangay chair Romeo Bacarro said the tri-cabs are of great help especially for students.
“Dako ni silag tabang labi na sa mga estudyante nga permente gadali labi nang puno-puno permente ang mga jeep sa among highway, labi nag gabii ug kaadlawon,” Bacarro said. With a report from Elena Gomez, MSU-Marawi intern