TEAM impounds 50 tricycles for operating without franchise, special permit

TEAM Executive Director Edwin Jumao-as

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) has impounded at least 50 tricycles for operating without a franchise and a special permit since last week.

Edwin Jumao-as, TEAM executive director said of the 50 tricycles lacking documents to operate, 11 were impounded just yesterday, June 14, 2021, in Barangays Casuntingan and Bakilid.

Jumao-as said during their meeting with City Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, chairman of the Committee on Transportation and lawyer Nene Cenizal Layer, city legal officer, Tricycle Federation, they decided to intensify the TEAM’s inspection on tricycles to ensure that they are operating legally.

This after they asked the tricycle drivers on the effects of Lumapas’ resolution allowing them to ferry two passengers per trip with 20 pesos fare each and many have complained because their income still didn’t improve because of the number of tricycles operating in the city.

On Tuesday, June 15, 2021, many tricycle drivers went to the City Legal Office to get a Special Permit to Operate (SPO).

Brenda Cabatingan, the owner of one of the tricycles impounded, said they were not able to renew their franchise because they thought that it is no longer needed.

“Naa mi SPO (pero) naexpire na amo franchise, niaging tuig ana man sila nga dili na magrenew sa franchise niya kinahanglanon man diay. Inutang pa baya ning tricycle, dako gyud kaayo epekto kay kani ra ang panginabuhian, lukaton na lang gyud, P2,100 ang penalty pa lang wala pay labot sa renewal, ” said Cabantingan

Currently, there are 1,205 registered tricycles plying in the city’s 27 barangays.  /rcg