Cuizon to cabbies: Flagdown rate still P30 until Feb. 13

HIGH DEMAND OF TAXI CABS/NOV. 27, 2015: Taxi cabs continuous to arrive and pick up passengers visited the newly open SM City Seaside at the South Road Properties (SRP) even the presence of SM’s Mybus transport passengers for free.(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

TAXI drivers in Cebu are reminded to continue collecting P30 as the flagdown rate until Monday or Feb. 13 when the order to make P40 as the prevailing rate will take effect.

Director Ahmed Cuizon of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) said that the taxi drivers who collected P40 before Feb. 13 would be penalized for over charging under Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01.

“Drivers must observe the prevailing rates as of now, or else they can still be subject to complaints of overcharging by concerned passengers,” he told Cebu Daily News.

Under JAO 2014-01, drivers will pay a penalty of P1,000 for the offense while operators will also pay P5,000.

Cuizon gave the reminder after LTFRB Director Martin Delgra signed the order Friday to make the flagdown rate P40 effective Feb. 13 to be implemented nationwide except in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

To recall, the P30 flag-down rate was provisional and implemented in April 2016 as reviews were done pending by the motion for reconsideration filed by transport groups.

Reynaldo Elnar, assistant regional director for LTFRB-7 reminds the drivers to politely explain to their passengers who are unaware that the flagdown rate will be back to P40 on Monday.

“This is also to prevent arguments from drivers and passengers,” he said.

Meanwhile, rate for succeeding meters would remain at P3.50 every 300 meters and also P3.50 for every two minutes of waiting time.