Tricycle summit slated June 1

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. announced that a tricycle summit will be held this June 1.

Abalos said an estimated 75,000 tricycle drivers and operators are expected to attend the summit which aims to address all the issues concerning tricycle operations in Metro Manila.

One of the primary concerns of the MMDA is the lack of discipline among tricycle drivers.

According to Ernesto Camarillo, MMDA-Traffic Operations Center executive director, many tricycle drivers are habitual violators of traffic laws .

"The MMDA believes it’s about time that we oblige these drivers to impose discipline among themselves," Camarillo said.

Another concern of the MMDA is the vague rules concerning the operation of tricycles. Abalos pointed out that many tricycles operate along major thoroughfares even though they are prohibited from doing so.

He explained that the reason for this is the lack of a clear-cut definition on which roads are considered as major thoroughfares.

"What has happened in the case of Metro Manila was almost all of the roads are considered major thoroughfares," Abalos said.

Based on the data gathered by the MMDA-TOC, the number of tricycles have reached 75,000 in Metro Manila. This number is 15-percent higher than the number of taxicabs in the metropolis.

Camarillo noted that colorum tricycles are not included in the figure. Colorum tricycles, or those with no legal franchise to operate, would account to 20 to 30 percent more.

He added that leaders of the Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (TODA-Phil) have admitted that their members need to undergo training because many of them are undisciplined.

During the summit, the MMDA will also issue new guidelines on the issuance of franchises for tricycle operators to prevent the increase of colorum tricycles.