DOTr clamps down on unregistered motorcycle taxis

MANILA: As the pilot program for motorcycle taxis continues to run, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has also begun to clamp down on unregistered units that illegally service unwitting riders.

Last week, seven “colorum” motorcycle taxis were apprehended after they (the driver’s name and their units) were not found on the master list of the DOTr.

According to Antonio Gardiola Jr., chairman of the Department of Transportation's Technical Working Group (TWG) on motorcycle taxis, these unregistered units pretend to be legitimate and operate under the “guise of a participant of the study.”

"We will not have second thoughts to penalize those who defy authority," Gardiola said. Two motorcycle taxis were from Sampa while the other five were from Angkas. Currently, the only motorcycle-hailing platforms that are part of the pilot program are Angkas, Move it and JoyRide. Sampa and another new brand i-Sabay are not yet legally allowed to operate.

The DOTr employs “mystery passengers,” who are actually undercover informants, in order to catch these unregistered motorcycle taxis that operate unscrupulously within Metro Manila.
Aside from sorting out unregistered motorcycle taxis, these informants also check on the safety gear available on the units and provided by the driver.

In light of the apprehension, Gardiola has called on the three accredited motorcycle-taxi platforms to make sure their riders are registered in the master list. “I also appeal to our participating players to please register your participants with the TWG and submit a daily ridership report,” added Gardiola.

The pilot study, revised last December to include two new platforms as competition to Angkas, will run until March and was made to study the safety, viability, and legislation of motorcycles as public transportation.

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