LTFRB-7 sets taxi calibration schedules

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas will start the calibration and resealing of taxi meters this month until June this year.

LTFRB-7 Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon issued Memorandum Circular 2018-001 or the implementing guidelines for calibration and resealing/testing of 2017 taxi fare adjustment.

The calibration will be done in batches. Taxi units with plate number ending in 2 and 7 will be on February 19 to March 12; 3 and 8 on March 13 to April 3; 4 and 9 on April 3 to April 23; 5 and 0 on April 24 to May 14; and 1 and 6 on May 15 to June 4.

The calibration and sealing/resealing of taxi meters will be done at the South Road Properties near the Plaza Sugbu Building in Cebu City.

Prior to the calibration and sealing/ resealing, taxi units must be equipped with a GNSS receiver, free Wi-Fi, CCTV with continuous recording of past 72 hours of operation, and dashboard camera in compliance with the PUb Modernization Program and Department Order number 2017-011.

“Taxi operators must also submit evaluation report on the adequacy of taxi meter memory to store transaction data and certificate of accuracy of the taxi meters from the Department of Science and Technology-National Metrology Laboratory prior to calibration and sealing/resealing,” said Cuizon.

All taxi operators must abide by the guidelines to avoid imposition of penalties.

Operators are not allowed to calibrate and seal/reseal their taxi meters earlier or later than the scheduled dates.

The board aims to accomplish the calibration, sealing/resealing of the taxi meters within the designated schedules.

Cuizon is reminding taxi operators to subject their cabs to the annual resealing of meters, meant to ensure their proper calibration, or risk facing sanctions.

LTFRB seals on taxi meters are an assurance that these meters are properly calibrated, ensuring that passengers are charged fairly based on governmentapproved rates.

In October last year, LTFRB approved a new taxi fare rate. The flag down rate is P40 and succeeding rate is P13.50 for every kilometer instead of P3.50 for every 300 meters. The P3.50 rate for every two minutes of waiting time is no longer in effect but commuters will be charged P2 for every minute of their travel time.

Operators who failed to calibrate their taxi units as scheduled will be fined P200 daily.

The operators of taxis caught with tampered meters will be punished with the cancellation of their permits to operate.