ASPIRING Grab and Uber drivers will get one more month to sign up but they will have to compete for the limited slots allotted for transport network vehicle service (TNVS) in Cebu.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has moved the start of acceptance of new application for TNVS from Feb. 5 to March 5 this year.
LTFRB 7 Director Ahmed Cuizon, however, is asking the public to stop buying cars for a TNVS side hustle because there are already more than 7,000 pending applications in their office.
According to Cuizon, there are only 500 TNVS slots allocated in Cebu but this is still subject for review. He said the slots may be increased depending on the number of the existing public utility vehicles.
If the TNVS allocation will be increased from 500 to 1,000, then only 1,000 TNVS out of the 7,000 applications will be accepted.
LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2018-003 only allows 45,700 TNVS units nationwide to take passengers.
Of the number, some 45,000 slots will be alloted for Metro Manila while only 500 and 200 slots will be opened for Cebu and Pampanga, respectively.
Colorum
Cuizon then reminded those who are planning to operate a public utility vehicle without an authority from the LTFRB that their operation will be considered colorum and will be penalized under existing laws.
Cuizon said Grab and Uber already stopped accrediting TNVS after LTFRB fined them P5 million each.
Prior to the imposition of penalty, though, he said that Grab and Uber has accredited thousands of vehicles.
“So, why blame LTFRB if they have no franchise as TNVS when they already operated illegally?” Cuizon said.
The director said some people who had good jobs in call centers and manufacturing firms resigned and bought cars for TNVS.
Grab and Uber accepted them even without a franchise from LTFRB, he said.
Last Thursday, TNVS operators and drivers in Cebu held a unity walk from the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral to Plaza Independencia to call on LTFRB to stop implementing the cap on TNVS units nationwide.
If it pushes through, they said that it will mean loss of income for them, and absence of comfort and convenience for the riding public.
They added that Cebu needs more than 500 TVNS units.
The group, which is composed of around 2,000 TNVS drivers and operators in Metro Cebu, is also gathering signatures for their online petition to stop the implementation of LTFRB’s memorandum circular.
So far, they have already gathered around 30,000 signatures. (EOB)