Taxi drivers, operators not ready for receipt system

CEBU, Philippines - Taxi operators and drivers appealed to the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board to defer the implementation of the taxi receipt system as most of them are not yet prepared.

LTFRB set today, June 1, as the implementation of taxi receipt system which requires all taxi drivers to issue receipts to their passengers. 

But Cebu Integrated Transport Services Cooperative (CITRASCO) Chairman Ryan Benjamin Yu said that of the 200 taxi units they are operating, only around 20 percent have been installed with receipt-issuing machines or the cash registry machines (CRM).

The Bantay Taxi Drivers Association of the Visayan United Drivers Transport Service Cooperative (VUDTRASCO) also said that most of their taxis have not yet been installed with CRM while paper receipts have yet to be printed for manual issuance of receipts.

Yu said that they were not given enough time to prepare for today. So even how much they tried, they were not able to completely comply with the deadline.

Yu explained that operators were thinking all the while that the new policy will be applied only in Metro Manila and not in Cebu.

It was only about two weeks ago that the confirmation of its implementation in other regions outside Manila was released.

CITRASCO had a hard time procuring CRMs to be installed in each unit because of its high cost.

Yu said that they spent around P12,000 to P15,000 for each CRM installed.

He added that they have not printed enough paper receipts due to the lack of time.

CITRASCO, through Yu, is asking for an extension of a month or two before LTFRB and other agencies concerned start apprehending drivers who will not be able to issue receipts.

Yu said that the supply of CRMs is also a problem as the installation also takes time.

Citrasco and other transport groups sent a petition to the LTFRB Central Office regarding this matter last week but so far, they have not received feedback.

Yu said that he fears many drivers may opt to stay at home for fear that they will be caught not implementing the new taxi receipt system which may cost them a penalty of P1,000 on the first offense.

Multiple violations will eventually lead to the cancellation of the taxi’s franchise.

BTDA President Jammy Llano said that their appeal to authorities is for the meantime while they are preparing. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/BRP (THE FREEMAN)