Govt eyes higher fines for colorum, out of line PUVs

MANILA, Philippines - To discourage operation of colorum and out of line public utility vehicles, the government plans to increase the fines and penalties on PUV operators.

Based on the strategic plans and programs of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Land Transportation Office for 2014 to 2016, operators of public utility buses found to be operating without the necessary documents would be slapped with a P1-million fine.

For UV express units, operators would receive a P200,000-fine while taxicabs with P120,000 and public utility jeepneys with P50,000.

The colorum and out of line PUVs would also be impounded or grounded for at least three months.

The operators would also be facing  the revocation of their certificates of public convenience for franchise violations.

In a radio interview, Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said he made  the proposal to hike  the fines for colorum PUVs.

He said that the rates of the fines are based on the computation on how much a PUV is worth.

Abaya said a bus unit is worth about P6 million, which  the P1 million fine is based for the violation.

He said he is confident that there would be no opposition to the proposed fines as he believes that PUV operators also want to rid units illegally plying the roads.