AN OFFICIAL of the Land Transportation Office–Cordillera (LTO-CAR) clarified if the 200 premium taxi operates, it will likely help in easing the volume of vehicles in the Summer Capital.
Francis Almora, LTO-CAR director said premium taxis are offered to highly urbanized city supposedly to reduce the number of vehicles plying the streets.
“The purpose of the premium taxi by the word alone is not like the common or ordinary taxi because this will operate through a ride hailing application. We do not have grab operations here but the same principle will be followed so they do not have to be moving around all the time to pick up passengers but only when they are hailed,” Almora explained.
Almora added premium taxi service are for those who can afford to buy vehicles and refrain them from getting another and instead try the service on a daily basis.
“This is taxi operation not like the Uber which is a private car that is being used, this under a taxi operation deals with high end vehicles. So if this is given a chance and then the people will patronize this together with other traffic management schemes of the city like the traffic reduction program, then I think this will be of help if this will be taken on that context because that is its purpose,” Almora added.
He explained operation of the premium taxi will be on a fleet management system operation and does not allow single franchise operations.
An operator will have to show government he is capable of operating certain number of units with the requisites like a garage, back end support for its operations, safety officers among others.