Gealon: Probe companies with colorum vehicles

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A citywide crackdown is being implemented against colorum vehicles or illegally operating public utility vehicles (PUVs).

This after Cebu City Councilor Rey Gealon’s proposed a resolution was approved during the council’s regular session on March 20, requesting the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to conduct operations against colorum trucks operating in the city.

Gealon, through his resolution, claimed that colorum trucks are used and operated within the city, most of which are “damaged, dilapidated and non-roadworthy.”

READ: How to spot colorum vehicles and why regulators think they’re not safe?

Colorum is the coined term for private vehicles operating as PUVs without authorization from the LTO and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

The franchise of these colorum vehicles is under the registered companies operating within the city.

However, LTFRB has not given an extension on the operation of surplus trucks since 2021.

“Despite the non-extension by LTFRB, companies are still using and operating these colorum trucks,” Gealon stated in his resolution.

READ: LTO-7 apprehends 13 colorum vehicles in three days in September

The resolution requested the LTFRB 7 to investigate companies with existing franchises that are using and operating colorum vehicles.

Once caught they will suspend their certificate of public convenience.

Meanwhile, regulators from LTO and LTFRB consider these vehicles unsafe since these vehicles did not undergo the necessary roadworthiness test.

These vehicles can also be used for criminal activities, like robberies and kidnappings. Passenger safety is another concern with colorum vehicles since most of them are dilapidated and are no longer fit to roam the streets.

Since they don’t have any franchise, passengers will pay more fare than the ordinary PUV. / with reports from Morexette Marie B. Erram

READ: LTO warns colorum operators: We will ‘drag’ you to court  

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