WITH classes set to start on Monday, public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers are reminded to continue giving the 20 percent fare discount to students.
Director Ahmed Cuizon, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) chief, said drivers should give the exact fare rate to avoid an overcharging violation, which carries a P5,000 fine according to the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01.
With the regular PUJ fare rate of P6.50 in Cebu for the first five kilometers, this means that students will only have to pay P5.20, which is the discounted fare rate for that distance.
Cuizon also advised both drivers and passengers to prepare coins to avoid arguments about the giving of the exact change of the fare.
“But passengers are in a better position to prepare coins so I advised them to do it,” he said.
Cuizon clarified that the student fare discount only applies to public utility jeepneys and buses.
He said that taxi units are excluded in the student fare discount order.
Cuizon also cited the golden rule to further emphasize his reminder to the drivers, who also have children who are students.
“Please remember the golden rule. Since you have children too, do not do unto other children what you do not want others to do unto your children,” Cuizon said.
Assistant Director Reynaldo Elnar of LTFRB-7 also advised students not given the student discount by a PUJ driver to file a complaint at the LTRFB-7 office.
Elnar said the student would only need to get the plate number and the body number of the PUJ and cite the particulars of the incident to the LTRFB.
However, to avoid this kind of situation, he said it would be easier to just let students have coins and pay the exact discounted fare to the driver.
According to the LTFRB memorandum circular 2011-004, those covered by the student fare discounts during school days are those who are currently enrolled in pre-school, elementary, secondary and collegiate schools including academic, vocational or technical schools duly recognized by the government.
According to the circular, those excluded in the student fare discount are those enrolled in dancing and driving schools, and those taking up short-term courses and post-graduate studies.
Aside from reminding drivers to give the fare discounts to students, the LTFRB-7 will also monitor school transports especially those 15-year-old units, which are considered as phased-out units.
This is covered in the LTFRB-7 memorandum circular 2015-007, which outlines the implementation of the phasing out of the 15-year-old and above units to ensure the safety and welfare of the students.
School transport units, which already reached 15 years old and above, can still be used but for private transport only.
“School transport operators must ensure the safety of their passengers, especially since these are young children,” Cuizon added.
School transport units should be in good running condition and must ensure that grills are in place on their vehicle windows to prevent children from wiggling out their hands.
Their units should also be equipped with fire extinguishers and medical kits.
Penalty for deficiency on school transport is P2,000 per violation.