TNCs’ accreditation renewal hinges on LTFRB status review

DELGRA

Transport Network Companies (TNC) such as Grab and Uber will need to renew their two-year accreditation at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in the middle of the year.

However, their accreditation renewal will depend on the LTFRB’s review of the TNCs’ status.

“The TNCs need to renew accreditation. However, their status is under review currently,” said Lawyer Martin Delgra, LTFRB chairman, in an phone interview with Cebu Daily News.

Delgra said the TNCs’ accreditation period is only for two years.

A source told Cebu Daily News that Grab and Uber were accredited in 2015.

Also in 2015, the Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS), a new form of transport service, was also introduced.

To become a legitimate TNVS operator, the owner should be an accredited provider of a TNC before a franchise will be issued by the LTFRB.

Because of the existing moratorium for a franchise, the LTFRB can only issue provisional authorities (PAs) to TNVS operators.

In September 2016, Delgra announced the suspension of applications for the TNVS because they were reviewing the accreditation guidelines of TNCs.

CDN tried calling representatives of Grab and Uber but they could not be reached for comment.

Ahmed Cuizon, regional director of LTFRB-7, reminded TNVS operators that they are still considered colorum even if they have the TNC accreditation but don’t have a provisional authority from the LTFRB.

More than a thousand of TNVS vehicles are plying in Cebu, but only 749 owners tried to process their requirements. Of these number only 77 were compliant and given PA certificates.