It’s a good day for the ridesharing industry yesterday!

LTFRB held the first LTFRB TNVS open consultation and dialogue directly with TNVS Partners, Operators and Drivers yesterday afternoon, Jan. 5, 2017  in the LTFRB Office in Quezon City. LTFRB extended the invitation on Wednesday morning to the TNVS Operators, Partners, and Drivers via their LTFRB Citizen Enforcer Facebook Account. A good use of social media to disseminate information!

Related article: TNVS FAQ by UberMNLTips

As you know, LTFRB received controversial rider complaints the past holiday season regarding surge pricing and decided to cap surge pricing at a max of 2.0x pending a memorandum for both Uber and Grab. As Partners and Drivers, we highly appreciate their effort and initiative to consult, engage and understand TNVS Partners and Drivers and recognizing that we are equally important stakeholders as well.

If you remember late 2015, LTFRB issued a series of memorandum concerning TNVS but only engaged with TNCs. We published an Open Letter to LTFRB last 2015 after threats of apprehension asking for them to involve and inform TNVS Partners and Drivers as we are the ones who actually driving on the road.

Related: UberMNLTips Guide to TNVS and LTFRB Accreditation

The event was attended by LTFRB Chairman Atty. Martin B. Delgra III, Board Member Atty. Aileen Lourdes A. Lazada, their team’s transport engineer, some media, partners, drivers, operators and even riders.  LTFRB entertained and clarified concerns and even asked their own questions to better understand the ridesharing landscape in the Philippines.

The LTFRB Chairman and Board Member even apologized to the TNVS Partners and Operators for not engaging directly enough and asked for patience to endure and bear with the current situation until they address all the pending issues.

Overall, for us, it’s a step closer to a more inclusive governance. Let’s hope this is just a start of more open consultations. Kudos to LTFRB!

Para sa mga tulad naming Partners, Drivers, at Operators, kapit lang tayo guys. Medyo magulo lang ngayon at masalimuot dahil inaayos ang mga issues. Kapag naayos naman ang mga regulations, magiging malinaw naman ang lahat. Mas OK na nga ngayon dahil napapakinggan na tayo. Sana lang bilisan ng LTFRB ang pagsasaayos. Tiwala at pasensya lang. 🙂

Here’s the video of the entire LTFRB TNVS first Open Consultation broadcasted via Facebook Live:

Highlights of the LTFRB TNVS Open Consultation

  • One vehicle can only have ONE CPC (Certificate of Public Convenience = TNVS franchise) renewable every year
  • If you don’t have PA or CPC, you’re practically a colorum. Let’s wait for Uber’s advise on this.
  • TNVS Partners, Operators, and Drivers are encouraged to understand the LTFRB Accreditation ourselves even if the TNCs process our PA and CPC on our behalf
  • If your PA is expired, make sure that your TNC is filing for a motion of extension until you get your CPC to continuously operate legally
  • LTFRB also suggested TNVS Partners, Drivers and Operators to directly inquire to LTFRB about our case files and accreditation status if we want to make sure that the TNCs are filing our application (Let’s hope LTFRB can deliver on this because last year when we tried to inquire, LTFRB was not very helpful)
  • By Virtue of DOTC DO 2015-011, there’s NO engine displacement requirement but hatchbacks are NOT specified as an accepted vehicle type for TNVS vehicles. Refer to this article for about the facts about hatchbacks and engine displacement requirements for TNVS vehicles.
  • A petition can be filed to reconsider hatchbacks to be fit for TNVS. Let’s hope Uber and Grab includes this in the position paper and petition a reconsideration for the sake of our existing Partners who are driving hatchbacks.
  • There are about 15,000 CPC applications from both Grab and Uber have been dismissed due to incomplete requirements and the non-appearance of applicant during the hearings. LTFRB will upload the list of dismissed cases in the LTFRB website by net week. Partners with dismissed applications may apply for motion for reconsideration. Let’s hope the TNCs will help facilitate this.
  • LTFRB chairman said that LTFRB is still waiting on the position papers of both Grab and Uber on Jan. 6, 2017 to be able to finalize the regulations.
  • Submissions for LTFRB Accreditation submitted after the suspension last July, are considered void and would have to resubmit again once submissions resumes.
  • The main reason why LTFRB halted the acceptance of TNVS applications was because there were issues on liability, fares, and technical standards.

Hope this article helped. Let us know in the comments sections if you have any questions or suggestions. You can also reach us at info@ubermanilatips.com. We would love to hear from you!

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Happy Riding and Safe Driving! #UberMNLTips

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