Fingers Crossed Cabs Will be Back on the Streets Soon

While Metro Manila shifted to modified enhanced community quarantine, some parts of the country transitioned to general community quarantine (GCQ) yesterday, May 16.

In case you didn't know, for areas under GCQ, public transportation may be allowed to operate in limited capacities.

For parts of the country that will be put under GCQ, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has Memorandum Circular No. 2020-018, which covers the guidelines for the operations of taxis and transport network vehicle services (TNVS).

For TNVS Operators:

1. Must be holders of valid Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) or existing Provisional Authority (PA) issued by the Central Office and RFROs with TNVS operation, or that an Extension of Validity has been duly filed. Holders of expired PA or CPC covered by Board Resolution No. 062 Series of 2020, dated April 29, 2020, may likewise apply.
2. Bookings and payments must be done strictly through an online facility or electronic payment only (cashless/contactless payment) provided by a duly accredited Transport Network Company.
3. Units must be currently registered with valid Personal Passenger Insurance Policy.

For Taxi Operators:

1. Must be holders of valid CPC or existing PA issued by the Central Office and RFROs with TNVS operation, or that an Extension of Validity has been duly filed. Holders of expired PA or CPC covered by Board Resolution No. 062 Series of 2020, dated April 29, 2020, may likewise apply.
2. Taxi units must be equipped with Internet/web-based apps provided by an accredited TNC, for purposes of booking and online payment transactions.
3. Taxi units must be compliant with the requirements under MC No. 2017-026 (i.e. installation of GNSS receivers, dashboard camera, CCTV, online digital platform).
4. Units must be currently registered with valid Personal Passenger Insurance Policy.
5. Taximeter of the units must be calibrated and the fare is through a cashless transaction. In the case of street-hailed transactions, operators/drivers are directed to enroll/register with available electronic payment providers for this purpose. The Board also reiterates that the existing policy of the Board for fare setting for TNVS and taxis shall apply.

The LTFRB's guideline also includes other conditions of taxis and TNVS to operate in GCQ areas, such as the daily records of passenger manifest for contact tracing that should be available upon the request of Taxi, LTFRB, or any government agency.

The Board also encourages strict enforcement of social distancing for drivers, operators, and passengers previously prescribed by LTFRB and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID). Failure to comply with any of these conditions may result in the imposition of fines and/or the cancellation or suspension of the operators' CPC or PA.

To read the complete LTFRB guideline, go to its Facebook post here: