Always bring copy of fare matrix, drivers told

To avoid a P500 fine, do not leave home without the original copy of your fare matrix.

This was the advice given to jeepney and bus drivers by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) yesterday.

MMDA Executive Director Angelito Vergel de Dios said drivers are mandated to bring the original copy of the fare matrix beginning today.

"They would be allowed to post photocopies of their fare matrices but they should always bring the original copy para kapag sinita sila (so if they are apprehended), they would be able to produce the document," Vergel de Dios said.

Since the deadline extended by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to drivers for getting a copy of new fare matrices ended yesterday, around 2,000 MMDA traffic enforcers are now fielded to apprehended erring drivers.

"Our traffic enforcers would not be able to flagdown all drivers, board all public vehicles just to check if they have the original fare matrix, but we will act in areas where we will receive complaints," Vergel de Dios said.

Under the LTFRB regulations, first time offenders will be fined P500. Drivers who will be apprehended the second time will be fined P1,000 while those who will be caught violating the rule the third time will face cancellation of their franchise.

The enforcement of the new fare matrix rule should have been implemented last June 13 but LTFRB Chairperson Ma. Elena Bautista gave in to the request of jeepney drivers and operators to extend it until June 18 and later to June 28 because a number of fare matrices were still being processed.

Although the LTFRB had been considerate in giving deadline extensions, Vergel De Dios said there is a big possibility that confusion and heated debates between traffic enforcers and drivers would mar the first day of the implementation of the new rule.

"Anything that you implement for the first time is bound to attract many complaints. It is a good thing that we would be guided by the LTFRB," he said.