LTFRB reopens motorcycle taxi applications on Aug. 5

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Thursday that it is reopening applications for motorcycle taxi riders, which it earlier suspended after some riding-hailing companies exceeded the onboarding limit imposed by the agency.

Those who want to apply for accreditation as motorcycle taxi platform providers (MTPPs) or for a provisional authority to operate as a motorcycle taxi rider may do so starting Aug. 5.

“We have implemented measures not only to ensure that the process will be smooth and comfortable for the motorcycle taxi community but also to achieve our main goal of coming up with an orderly and systematic way of public transportation,” said LTFRB Chair Vigor Mendoza II.

The LTFRB temporarily suspended the onboarding of new ride-hailing service units and riders effective on April 30 after some ride-hailing companies went beyond the cap set by the government.

The LTFRB said that for each transport network company (TNC) and MTPP, only the vehicles it authorized to operate should be onboarded.

However, during the government’s distribution of the P5,000 fuel subsidy for public utility vehicle drivers following the Middle East crisis, the list of accredited drivers submitted by some TNCs and MTPPs showed that they had exceeded the limit authorized by the LTFRB.

Bloated list

The discovery prompted the Department of Transportation to order an “all-out investigation” of the “bloated” list of beneficiaries.

In May, the LTFRB issued show-cause orders to nine ride-hailing companies that offer motorcycle taxi services, asking them to explain why their authority to operate should not be suspended or revoked for onboarding more riders without its approval.

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The MTPPs were also summoned for failing to maintain the original units authorized to be used by their platforms, with the LTFRB noting that the vehicles were either no longer in use or being operated by another company.

The LTFRB said this resulted in the abandonment of their services to the riding public.

In total, the agency said it summoned 30 ride-hailing companies suspected of illegally onboarding transport network vehicle service drivers and motorcycle taxi riders.