A REPRESENTATIVE of a commuter safety advocacy group urged local government units (LGUs) to require tricycle operators to secure insurance for passengers before they are given their franchises.
Atty. Ariel Inton, founder of the Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection and former board member of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), said this will ensure that the passenger is protected if the tricycle meets an accident.
The proposal also means that operators wouldn’t have to spend much on hospital expenses for an injured or killed passenger.
Inton said that the proposal also aims to remove colorum tricycles on the streets as insurance companies don’t provide coverage if a tricycle has no franchise.
In a separate interview, LTFRB 7 Director Ahmed Cuizon said that they have no jurisdiction over the issuance of franchises for tricycles.
Only LGUs can issue franchises and regulate fares for tricycles, he said.
However, Cuizon said he would like to present Inton’s idea to the three traffic management boards of the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, where he is a member. (JKV)