CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 10 (Northern Mindanao) has cautioned commuters against paying the new fare if drivers fail to post the fare matrix as the agency implements the increased rate nationwide starting October 3.
Aminoden Guro, LTFRB-10 director, said in an interview Saturday that the new minimum fare for the traditional jeepney for the first four kilometers is PHP12, with an add-on charge of PHP1.80 per succeeding kilometer.
From PHP13, modernized public utility vehicles (PUVs) will now collect a minimum fare of PHP14 for the first four kilometers and PHP2.20 per succeeding kilometer.
Taxis will now have a flag-down rate of PHP45 from PHP40.
Guro said the LTFRB would not recalibrate their meter but allowed drivers to add PHP5 to the total fare.
However, he said, drivers must first place the new fare matrix on their vehicles before they could collect the increased fare.
“Drivers cannot collect the new fare rate if they don’t have the ‘taripa.’ No fare matrix, no adjusted fare,” Guro added.
He said passengers are not required to pay the increased fare if the driver cannot show the fare matrix.
"If the driver can show only the old fare matrix, then he can only collect the old fare,” Guro said.
The fare matrix contains the corresponding rates based on the designated loading and unloading area.
Guro has also warned drivers not to use a duplicated fare matrix as the LTFRB only issues one per PUV, which shows its registration details.
In a separate interview Friday evening, Joel Gabatan, coordinator of the National Confederation of Transport Union (NCTU) in Northern Mindanao, said their organization has also reminded member drivers not to collect the adjusted fare without the fare matrix.
“They have already been made aware of this. If they overcharge their passengers, there will be penalties,” Gabatan said.
He noted that even though the fare increase would not lift the drivers and their families out of poverty, it would still help them get by.
“With the loosening of the health restrictions and the face-to-face classes, and with the fare increase, they (drivers) can now somehow manage due to the added income,” he said.
Based on the NCTU’s calculation, the new fare will increase the driver’s average take-home pay by at least PHP200.
“So, if they’re earning, say, PHP600 a day, with the additional fare, that will become PHP800,” Gabatan said. (PNA)
