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THE campaign against colorum vehicles has been successful as the
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) noted a
decrease of the operations of such vehicles during the past three
months.
LTFRB Chairman Thompson Lantion said the
Presidential Task Force Kontra Kotong at Kolorum has apprehended and
impounded a total of 1,293 colorum vehicles, mostly private vans.
“Legitimate operators and drivers have already
felt the effects of the [LTFRB’s] operation [and] they can now
operate without worrying about the illegal vehicles who have been
robbing them of their daily earnings,” Lantion said in an
interview.
Lantion added that he has been receiving
information that operators of illegal or colorum vehicles are having
a hard time operating because they are not welcomed by owners of
transport terminals in malls and other commercial establishments.
Lantion said the task force, headed by Roy
Kiamco, has sent a strong message to colorum operators that they
will be penalized if they continue to operate not only in Metro
Manila but also in other parts of the country. The task force was
formed on November 15 upon orders of President Gloria Arroyo.
The fine for colorum operations is P6,000 plus
impounding fee depending on the number of days an apprehended
vehicle has been impounded.
Even if the operator is able to pay the fines,
he or she still needs to get a clearance from the LTFRB, Land
Transportation Office and the Metro Manila Development Authority.
The driver of a colorum vehicle is also
penalized with a three-month suspension for the first offense. The
penalty for the third offense is revocation of the driver’s
license.
Colorum or conveying passengers without an LTFRB
franchise is a serious violation that also endangers the lives of
the passengers because colorums do not have insurance coverage for
passengers.
-- Jefferson Antiporda
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