New drive vs old colorum schemes

A new crackdown on colorum or illegal vehicles on Thursday encountered old and familiar schemes used by their operators, who are being blamed as a major cause of traffic congestion in the metropolis.

Within the first five hours of “Oplan Goliath,” 19 provincial buses, one city bus, four taxis and three commuter Asian Utility Vehicles were impounded either for having fake license plates or for operating outside their authorized routes, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Goliath was jointly launched by the MMDA and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

“One bus had an original plate and two that were only improvised,” said MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino, citing one violator.

He also cited the case of a bus plying Edsa but whose driver presented franchise documents showing it could only operate between Moncada, Tarlac province and Meycauayan, Bulacan.

“The (owners and operators) of these vehicles who cheat the process of getting franchises are the ones causing heavy traffic on Edsa,” said Tolentino, who oversaw the crackdown in Muñoz, Quezon City.

“The proliferation of colorum buses is one of the factors behind the acute traffic congestion problem in the metropolis,” LTRFB Chair Winston Ginez added in a statement.

Drivers caught driving a colorum vehicle face a fine of P6,000 for the first offense, plus the daily storage fee for the impounding area in Pasig City. Their licenses will also be suspended for three months.

A second offense carries a P12,000 fine and a six-month suspension of the license. Third-time offenders will be fined P18,000 and may not use their license for a year.  With a report from Miguel R. Camus