THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is asking the Department of Transportation and Communications to clarify if motorbike-for-hire through a mobile app is under its accreditation coverage or not.
Ariel Enrile Inton, board member, said mounting queries have flooded the LTFRB, asking if the new service GrabBike under the transport companies Uber and GrabTaxi could be allowed to operate on the road, particularly in Metro Manila, without LTFRB approval.
“Under an old Supreme Court decision, the franchise application and approval of tricycle units was transferred from the LTFRB to the tricycle regulatory unit of a local government unit so that the local government could closely monitor the operations and even violations of such vehicles. Contrary to its purpose, unregistered tricycles have proliferated for political considerations,” he told The Standard. “In that order, too, a tricycle unit was also categorized as a motorcycle-for-hire.”
Inton, Chairman Winston Ginez and another board member, Ronaldo Corpus, had discussed the issue in a recent meeting and agreed to ask Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya for a written opinion on the matter.
GrabTaxi has been offering GrabBike service allowing passengers to book a motorcycle ride using the mobile app in Makati City and Taguig City.
GrabBike’s base fare for off-peak hours is P40 for the first two kilometers, with an additional P10 per kilometers for the first two to seven kilometers, and an additional of P5 per kilometer after eight kilometers.
Commuters welcome the new mode of transportation, citing that getting a ride by motorcycle is faster and much cheaper than a taxi ride.
“As far as the LTFRB is concerned, we would like to cover the GrabBike operation under a certificate of accreditation so we could set a regular fare matrix and protect the passengers. GrabBike is not covered by any insurance,” Inton said.