Group asks LTFRB amid rising oil prices
Taxi operators are asking the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to allow the increase in the taxi flag-down rate to P60.
The Philippine National Taxi Operators Association also said this will “help alleviate their plight brought by fuel price hikes.”
The taxi group’s president Atty. Jesus Manuel Suntay said the flag-down rate for taxis and transport network vehicle services (TNVS), which was recently adjusted upwards by P5, is not enough, GMA News reported.
Suntay said the P5 increase only translates to an additional P100 if they have an average of 20 passengers per day.
“The price of gasoline increased by P30 per liter. At an average of 40 liters a day, P1,200 was added to the drivers’ expenses. What was only given to us was P100. This means that drivers still have to pay P1,100 more. The additional P5 in flag-down rate is not enough,” Suntay said.
Suntay explained that the proposed P60 flag-down rate was based on the current fuel prices vis a vis the average amount of liters they utilize and the number of their passengers per day, GMA News further reported.
“We really don’t want to file a petition for fare increase if it’s not really necessary, but the price of gasoline has doubled. Also, the fare for succeeding kilometers for jeeps and the buses was increased, but that’s not the case with taxis,” the lawyer said
The LTFRB earlier approved a P1 provisional increase in the minimum fare for first four kilometers travel in both traditional and modern jeepneys.
An additional P0.30 per succeeding kilometer was approved for traditional public utility jeepney (TPUJ), while an additional P0.40 per succeeding kilometer will be implemented for modern PUJ.
For public utility buses (PUB), the land transportation regulator approved a P2 uniformed base fare hike for city and provincial buses for the first five kilometers and the succeeding kilometer fare increase of P0.35 to P0.50 depending on the type of bus.