LTFRB: No termination for 5-year motorcycle taxi program

MANILA: The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has clarified that its technical working group (TWG) has not recommended the termination of the currently ongoing 5-year motorcycle taxi pilot program.

LTFRB Chair Teofilo Guadiz III further clarified the termination in question pertains to the gathering of data in connection to motorcycle taxis. The program itself, the agency executive said, will continue.

“The TWG did not endorse the termination of the program. What it terminated is the gathering of data and the program continues,” Guadiz explained.

Guadiz likewise quashed the notions of the TWG intending to limit the motorcycle taxi pilot program to just three players. On the contrary, the TWG MC Taxi group has endorsed the addition of more players, as well as the expansion of motorcycle taxis to more areas.

Initially, three motorcycle taxis were authorized by the LTFRB on Philippine roads. The three are Angkas, JoyRide, and Move It.

The LTFRB Chair instead argued that adding more players and areas of operation for motorcycle taxis might be able to improve the TWG's capability of determining the impact of the pilot study.

The Legislators, as per the LFRB Chair, likewise agree that limiting the study to just three players within Metro Manila would not be reflective of the real impact of motorcycle taxis, particularly on other forms of public transport, as well as traffic, the economy, safety, and security.

In alignment with this, the LTFRB chief has since accredited four more Transport Network Companies (TNC) with a total of 8,000 accredited riders for regions III and IV.

Guadiz reiterated the LTFRB’s continuing commitment to ensuring its TWG’s motorcycle taxi pilot study will be comprehensive and inclusive in its scope by allowing more players from more operating areas to participate.

Photos from Angkas, Move It

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