THE REGIONAL Taxi Operators Association of Davao requested the 20th City Council to intensify measures in screening taxi drivers following the recurring complaints against them for contracting fixed-rate fares.
Ryan Sia, Regional Taxi Operators Association of Davao and operator of Krizia Taxi, asked the August body to create a clearer approach covering the public utility vehicle (PUV) Driver’s ID issuance.
“Nakita namo na kadtong nagsugod na og crack down sa airport. Effective gyud sya kay ang mga driver nga badlungon dili na mosulod. What we have in mind is if ever the drivers have no violations incurred, basin pwede ma-extend ang validity,” Sia said during the council’s 17th regular session on May 7.
He added that penalties for drivers should be distinctly stated, such as overcharging or refusing to convey passengers.
The City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) can also withhold renewal of the ID issued by the local government unit to public utility drivers if they are repeat offenders. Presently, drivers with unpaid citation tickets must first settle their accounts before they can renew their IDs.
Sia said they would soon submit a proposal to Councilor Conrado Baloran, the committee on transportation and communications chair, for proper action.
In response, Baloran said he will wait for the formal petition of the association.
To recall, the city through CTTMO, along with the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board Region XI (LTFRB XI), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and the Land Transportation Office XI (LTO XI) presented a set of guidelines for taxi drivers servicing Davao International Airport during a forum held on Friday, May 3.
“City government created a set of guidelines to end those circumstances wherein our tourist and local passengers in the airport fell victim to the bad practices of some taxi drivers],” CTTMO chief Dionisio Abude said.
The guidelines include queuing at the designated holding area after receiving queue cards from the guard-on-duty; using the right lane and submitting to security inspections; staying inside their taxi units while queuing and only disembarking to help load the luggage of passengers; prohibition of negotiation of prices with passengers; wearing of uniform and proper grooming; and unloading of passengers at the designated unloading areas.
An airport personnel will hand out complaint stubs to passengers upon boarding the taxi which will be checked at the exit.
Under the guidelines, the LTFRB XI emphasized there is no pakyaw system (fixed rate) for the riding public and that drivers should use the meter.
LTFRB XI regional director Nonito Llanos shared a study showing the fare from the airport to Calinan costs P800, which gives a profit to the drivers of approximately P250-300.
“My request to the operators is to teach their drivers to give utmost service to the passengers, because nowadays, if we are satisfied, we give tips. That’s why we are mandated to follow the guidelines,” he added.
