THE off-and-on posture of personnel of the Land Transportation Office is quite irritating. Suddenly, you see them warning taxi drivers to make sure their passengers are wearing seat belts. Suddenly, they flag down the taxi bringing you home and right there and then, by the roadside, test the cab’s emission. You have no choice but wait for them to finish so the driver can bring you home. The best they could do within this circumstance is to advise the driver to bring you home and then report to where they are so they can check on emission and all.
There should be nothing wrong with these random check-ups if only these are done consistently, not occasionally, when the Land Transportation Officers feel the need to do their duty on the street. Suddenly, they are again missing on the street, only to come back when they feel the need to check again on taxis and jeepneys.
Recently, local television news reported that five “colorum” taxi units were apprehended. This should be good news, if only drivers and owners of legitimate units have not been complaining, almost since time immemorial, that “colorum” units have been on the streets for quite sometime now.
The problem is inconsistency of the LTO officers. Now you see them, now you don’t. And when you do, be sure you have the papers for your unit. The sticker they gave you and planted on your cab’s window is not enough, even if you argue the LTO won’t issue you such sticker if your papers are not complete.
So let’s grin and bear it when they are around in groups to implement what they should have but did not impose for months or even years.
email: mondaxbench@yahoo.com for comments.