By Azer N. Parrocha
MANILA, Sept. 9 (PNA) — The Land Transportation and Franchising Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday asked app-based ridesharing service GrabCar to explain why its drivers had been declining commuters even with tips.
“LTFRB has directed GrabCar to explain complaints against its choosy drivers,” LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez on his official Twitter account said.
Ginez also asked the company to attend the Board’s meeting on Sept 16.
He made the tweet after former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic director Yves Gonzales shared on Facebook a post of a student complaining about a GrabCar driver ignoring her requests for a vehicle.
In the same social media account, Gonzales remarked that the student’s experience was the “most perfect example of what’s obviously wrong with GrabCar’s current booking system.”
Gonzales further said that the booking system gave choosy drivers control over hapless commuters.
He meanwhile urged commuters not to patronize the service “until the company removes the destination and the tip (aka bribe) ‘feature’”.
GrabCar is an app that allows commuters to book private vehicles to pick them up and send them to their destination via mobile phone. Its alternative, GrabTaxi works in the same way but with taxis.
To recall, LTFRB last month awarded GrabCar partner vehicles their provisional authorities (PA) to operate as a Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) after approving its application as a Transport Network Company (TNC).
The Board gave GrabCar and similar ride-sharing service companies only until Aug 20 to file accreditation and secure a franchise or otherwise be treated as a “colorum” vehicle.
Vehicles under the TNVS category will be required to install global positioning system (GPS) devices screens. Its drivers will meanwhile be required to issue e-receipts, and secure passenger insurances under LTFRB.
Also under the TNVS category, vehicles should not be older than seven years. Only sedans, Asian Utility Vehicles, Sports Utility Vehicles, vans, or similar vehicles will be allowed.
Aside from TNVS, the three other categories developed to modernize the country’s transport services are Premium Taxi, Airport Bus, and Bus Rapid Transit.
These categories began implementation last May. (PNA)