THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Wednesday blocked the operation of app-based motorbikes for hire as another alternative transportation in Metro Manila Chairman Winston Ginez said the LTFRB is left with no option but to stop the MyTaxi.ph from operating GrabBike.
He said the Department of Transportation and Communications has not yet issued any guidelines that would authorize the operation of such mode of transportation.
Under a department order, the operation of GrabBike using the Internet-based technology platform is not authorized.
“As part our mission to ensure the riding public’s safety and convenience, we will not tolerate transportation network companies to provide transport service using motorcycles or bikes until we have set the proper guidelines and regulations,” Ginez maintained.
LTRFB issued a cease-and-desist order, advising MyTaxi.ph to stop the use of bikes and motorcycles due to safety and authorization issues.
It also ordered MyTaxi.ph to explain in writing its operation without the authority of any concerned government agency.
“Be reminded that apart from safety issues, bikes and motorcycles are neither authorized by the Board nor by the DoTC to be offered to the public as mode of public transportation,” LTFRB executive director Glen Zaragoza.
Ginez warned to cancel the company’s accreditation if it continued to offer such motorbikes for hire. Motorcycle road accidents remain the lead cause of road accidents in the world. A total of 1.25-million people have died globally due to road accidents, with motorcycle riders comprising 23 percent of deaths, according to the World Health Organization’s 2015 road safety report. More than half (53 percent) of those who die in road accidents in the Philippines are motorcycle riders, the report pointed out.
Motorcycles also have the highest fatality accident rate in Metro Manila from January to November 2015, according to statistics compiled by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s Metro Manila Accident Recording and Analysis System Database.
The database also shows that of the 696 road fatalities recorded in that period, 236 were due to motorcycle accidents. It also recorded a total of 166,883 vehicles involved in road accidents in Metro Manila, with motorcycles coming in second with 18,482, next to private cars (81,837). With PNA