Monday, October 30, 2006 Guidelines for tricycle operation seek to protect drivers, operators
SEEING the need to better regulate tricycle operations in Cebu City, a local legislator wants a consolidated ordinance mandating existing operators to be the only ones who could register their units with the City Government.
City Councilor Jose Daluz III said that as recommended by the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom), he consolidated four existing City ordinances into a single measure that comprehensively sets the guidelines for tricycle operations in the city.
He said that despite the existence of the ordinances, the number of tricycle units in the city has considerably increased, prompting Citom to request for legislative intervention.
Daluz acknowledged that tricycles are not illegal modes of transportation; the law has even vested the power to regulate them on local government units.
He said that aside from the provision on existing operators as the only ones who could apply for registration with the motorcycle board, each is limited to at most two units.
He said that unlike taxis, where a lone operator could own a fleet of over a hundred, the number of tricycle units a person is allowed to have should be controlled.
Not a business
The councilor added that provision because he believes tricycle operation is not a business that should be subjected to competition, but a form of livelihood for small-time operators and drivers.
He does not want them to jostle with hundreds of others for the meager income derived from the venture.
The proposed ordinance, however, still sets registration fees and other required payments, like P5,000 for route or zone application, and P2,200 for the motorized tricycle operator’s permit (MTOP).
Other fees are for application for fare adjustment, P5,000; tricycle driver’s card, which should be renewed each year, P50; annual driver registration, P200.
Several provisions, like the tricycle ban on national highways and strict observance of the route specified in the MTOP, are still included in the measure.
The ordinance also orders Citom to survey all existing tricycle routes, which is needed once the council approves Daluz’s proposal.
In particular, the ordinance sets that operators hire tricycle drivers with licenses, who are 18 years old or over, registered voters of the barangay where they intend to work, are not suffering from infectious diseases, are not deaf or dumb, and have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude.
Warning
Drivers are also warned against charging higher fare, soliciting or acting as agent of a prostitution den, and acting as illegal drug courier.
Violators are fined P2,000 to P5,000, or a one-month to six-month imprisonment, or both fine and imprisonment as deemed by the courts.
A draft of Daluz’s proposed measure is currently under review by the council committee on laws, ordinances, public accountability, and good government. (RHM)
