RUSH HOUR. Public commuters line up to get a ride during the evening rush hour in Philcoa, Quezon City on July 5, 2022. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Tuesday announced its intention to study a petition made by public transport groups to add surge charges to the fares of modern and traditional jeepneys as well as buses due to rising fuel prices. (PNA photo by Joseph Razon)
MANILA – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is currently studying a petition made by groups of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators to add “surge” pricing to the fares of traditional and modern public utility jeepneys (PUJ) as well as public utility buses (PUB).
In a statement on Tuesday, the LTFRB said the petition was filed by Pasang Masda, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP), and Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO) on Friday.
“Base sa petisyon, hiling ng transport groups na lagyan ng dagdag-pasahe sa kada kilometrong biyahe tuwing rush hour o peak hours (According to the petition, transport groups are seeking to increase per kilometer fares during rush hours or peak hours),” it said.
It assured PUV drivers and operators that their petition is being heard and is understandable due to the continued rise of fuel prices.
However, it said that the plight of commuters must also be heard, especially after the recent fare increase.
“Magkakaroon ito ng inflationary effect sa ekonomiya ng bansa, isinasantabi muna ito ng ahensya upang mahimay ang mga puntong inilatag ng transport groups sa naturang petisyon (This would have an inflationary effect on the country’s economy, this would be set aside by the agency so that the points made by transport groups in the said petition are parsed),” it said.
It said the petition and other policies are being studied by the LTFRB for the welfare of PUV drivers, operators, and passengers.
In the petition, the three transport groups are asking for a PHP1 surge charge for every passenger of both modern and traditional PUJs and a PHP2 surge charge per passenger for PUBs.
It asked for the surge pricing to be active from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
This comes after the LTFRB earlier approved a minimum fare of PHP12 for traditional PUJs and PHP14 for modern PUJs in addition to an increase in per kilometer charges beginning Oct. 3.
It also approved fare increases for PUBs, taxis, and transport network vehicle services (TNVS). (PNA)
