New ‘colorum’ fines start Thursday

MANILA, Philippines–The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will proceed with the implementation Thursday of significantly higher fines for “colorum,” or unlicensed, operators of public transport services not complying with their franchises or permits, after the Supreme Court failed to issue a temporary restraining order against the new rates Tuesday.

The high court merely directed the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the LTFRB to comment within 10 days from notice on the petition filed last June 10 by transport groups protesting the implementation of Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01 issued jointly by the LTFRB and the LTO and approved by the DOTC.

Prevent accident

The order, which covers the “revised schedule of fines and penalties for violations of laws, rules and regulations governing land transportation,” was issued last June 4 by the DOTC in a bid to prevent vehicular accidents involving public utility vehicles (PUVs).

The LTFRB said in a statement Wednesday that the implementation of higher penalties on colorum vehicles under the JAO 2014-01 would “go on schedule and start strict implementation this Thursday.”

Under the JAO that takes effect Thursday, colorum bus operators will be fined P1 million; truck and van operators, P200,000; sedan operators, P120,000; jeepney owners, P50,000; and motorcycle operators, P6,000.

The JAO also covers other PUV-related violations such as refusal to convey passengers to their destination; overcharging; employing reckless, insolent, discourteous or arrogant drivers; operating PUVs with defective parts; using tampered taximeters; and trip cutting. Each violation has corresponding fines and penalties as specified in the order.

The LTFRB is creating a nationwide task force composed of LTFRB and LTO enforcers who are the only ones authorized to apprehend violators. It has not deputized any local government unit (LGU) traffic personnel or Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) enforcer to apprehend violators.

Suspension

However, in response to concerns raised by some provincial transport operators, the LTFRB said it was suspending for 120 days the implementation of higher fines and penalties pertaining to out-of-line violations, or those operating beyond their designated routes.

The LTFRB has issued a memorandum circular to clarify the JAO on out-of-line violations and trucks for hire.

The memorandum circular also states that colorum trucks-for-hire, particularly those with white plates, upon submission of franchise application will be automatically afforded provisional authority valid for 120 days.

Transport groups led by the Angat Tsuper Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator ng Pilipinas-Genuine Organization (Angat Tsuper/Stop and Go) asked the high court to declare the JAO 2014-01 as unconstitutional.–With reports from Christine Avendaño and Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon

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