LTFRB starts facilitating Uber, Grab applications

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) summoned app-based transport network companies (TNC) Uber and Grab to its office yesterday to facilitate the processing of their pending applications.

LTFRB board member and spokesperson Atty. Aileen Lizada asked both TNC to submit within 10 days all requirements to enable the board to facilitate the processing of their pending applications.

The TNC brought their scanners, copiers and computers with the master list to enable the LTFRB to accurately cross check the list of applicants of both appbased transport service.

However, a check with the LTFRB showed that around 10,000 transport network vehicle services (TNVS) have incomplete or did not possess any requirement at all.

With this development, an LTFRB personnel said members of Congress should immediately draft a law, imposing jail terms and heavier fines to erring transport groups to curb the proliferation of colorum units on the road.

Lizada confirmed that there were around 200 personnel from the board, MMDA, HPG and LTO tasked to apprehend colorum units, but the number pales in comparison to that of non-complying TNVS.

Aside from this, the LTFRB admitted that it lacked impounding areas where it can store apprehended vehicles, as evidenced by the rows of colorum units parked along East Avenue and on inner streets near the LTFRB headquarters in Quezon City.

Earlier, LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III was “shocked” by the latest number of TNVS revealed by both Grab and Uber.

Grab and Uber revealed at a recent Senate hearing said that there were more than 100,000 TNVS vehicles plying the streets of Metro Manila.

Delgra noted that 28,000 were operating under each respective network of Grab and Uber as disclosed by both TNCs.

Uber Philippines Government Relations and Public Policy head Yves Gonzalez said there were 66,000 Uber cars which made a single trip in the past year.

Out of the 66,000, Gonzales noted only 2,500 hold a provisional authority (PA) from the LTFRB and 1,000 have pending applications from an extension of the PA.

Grab Philippines country head Brian Cu, on the other hand, said there were 52,398 Grab cars, of which only 3,000 to 4,000 had PAs.

Every day, Cu said 180,000 to 200,000 passengers are trying to book a ride, but only about 150,000 are being served.