Effective? LTO No Plate No Travel Policy leads to 50% income increase for road-legal tricycles
Today is the 4th day of enforcement of the No Plate No Travel Policy for Quezon City tricycles. On the side of commuters, the first concern is that finding a trike to ride might become more difficult. Not much has been said to confirm or belie that, but one good thing – apparently – is on and for the side of the road-legal tricycle drivers. Why? Following the crackdown, it’s said that some of them netted 50% more than their usual daily income.
Illegal trikes down, income up following No Plate No Travel Policy
Photo: Land Transportation Office
July 1, 2024, saw the implementation of the No Plate No Travel Policy that covers tricycles in Quezon City. The first day saw at least 23 apprehensions. It’s expected that more will be deemed road-“illegal” in the coming days since a plate is required for any motor vehicle to be operated on the roads, more especially as public transport.
In a report published by the LTO, it said that the No Plate No Travel Policy’s enforcement led to at least a 50% income increase for legitimate tricycle drivers who still operate. From an average of about PHP 800 daily, some drivers in certain parts of Quezon City, particularly near malls, have been netting up to PHP 1,200 in only the past 3 days. This information was relayed by some members and leaders of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) in Quezon City to the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
Photo: Land Transportation Office
“Ito ay isa na namang patunay kung gaano naapektuhan ng colorum vehicles ang kita ng ating mga kaibigan sa transport sector na lumalaban ng parehas. Kami sa LTO ay natutuwa at nakapagbigay kami ng solusyon sa mga kababayang nating tricycle operators and drivers sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatupad ng agresibong kampanya laban sa mga walang plaka at colorum na tricycles,” said LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II.
[This is proof of how colorum vehicles affect the income of our friends in the transport sector who fight fair. We in the LTO are glad to give a solution to our fellow tricycle operators and operators through this aggressive campaign against colorum and tricycles with no plates.]
“Makakaasa kayo ng tuloy-tuloy na operasyon—mula araw hanggang gabi— para maitama natin ang maling gawain ng mga colorum operators at protektahan ang interes ng mas marami nating mga kababayang drivers at operators na gumagawa ng tama [We can expect continuous operation – day to night – to right the wrongs that are being done by colorum operators and to protect the interest of the many drivers and operators who are doing right],” he added.
Photo: Land Transportation Office
The No Plate No Travel Policy comes after the LTO has addressed the backlog of almost 3,000 tricycle license plates in Quezon City. Given this, the LTO in coordination with the QC LGU and TODA leaders and members of Quezon City has agreed on the full implementation the No Plate No Travel Policy.
“Tuloy-tuloy na ito [This will continue] and the success of this operation in Quezon City will serve as our model and motivation to replicate this policy to other parts of the country,” Mendoza later added.
That said, it looks like the LTO will begin spreading the No Plate No Travel Policy to other cities in Metro Manila, and it will probably be sooner rather than later.
In favor? Against? What are your thoughts on this Policy?
