Close to a hundred taxi drivers in Central Visayas have been sanctioned by the Land Transportation Office regional office over complaints on their being “choosy” of passengers during the last holiday season.
Most of them got one month suspension of their driver’s licenses and paid P1,500 fine while a few have been forgiven by the complainants.
LTO-7 officials said these drivers violated the agency’s “Oplan Isnabero” campaign against “picky”, discourteous, and unfair public utility vehicle drivers.
The campaign, which is enforced throughout the year, also covers offenses such as refusal to convey passengers, overcharging, having defective meters, and demanding more payment aside from the amount indicated on the taxi meter.
Driver’s licenses of first time offenders are suspended for one month and second offenders for six months, but for third time offenders their licenses are revoked.
Alex Leyson, before he was relieved from his post as LTO-7 director, told The Freeman that his office had received last December nearly a hundred complaints against taxi drivers for being “choosy” and for discriminatory acts against passengers.
At the national level, Ferdinand Quiambao, executive assistant to LTO Secretary Berroya, said that a total of 1,350 taxi drivers have been summoned to the LTO over allegations of discriminatory acts towards passengers during the holidays.
“This will serve as a lesson and a warning to all PUV drivers who are not playing fair,” Quiambao said. — Ferliza C. Contratista/RAE