Taxi drivers in Cagayan de Oro City will be issued new ID cards and undergo ‘refresher seminars’ as part of a four-point initiative to improve their services to the riding public.

 

The four-point initiative was contained in a letter sent by the regional Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB-10) to the 20th City Council’s public utilities committee chaired by Councilor Romeo Calizo.

 

The letter was read by Councilor Malvern Esparcia during Tuesday afternoon’s session. The letter was in response to a resolution by the public utilities committee asking the LTFRB-10 to strictly enforce the requirement on taxi operators to prominently display on their units the ID card displaying the taxi driver’s name with photo and information on the operators as mandated under their Memorandum Circular 2014-020.

 

The LTFRB memorandum is part of the agency’s campaign against errant taxi drivers. The committee resolution was also in response to Esparcia’s previous special report concerning the complaints he received from taxi passengers on the abusive behavior of some taxi drivers.

 

‘The behavior of these taxi drivers ruin the reputation of other good taxi drivers,’ Esparcia said.

 

In the letter, Regional LTFRB-10 Director Abosamen Matuan said they met with taxi operators in the city to address the committee resolution. The four-point initiative involves issuing new ID cards to the taxi drivers and requiring them to attend ‘refresher academy drivers seminars’ to remind drivers of LTFRB-10 rules, specifically on the agency’s memorandum circular 2014-020.

 

Also included is coordination by LTFRB-10 and taxi operators with the Department of Tourism-10 for seminars on improving customer service and satisfaction.

 

‘(The LTFRB-10 also asks) City Hall to (address the problem) of the illegal operation of tri-cabs or bao-baos which have greatly affected the livelihood of taxi operators in the city,’ Director Matuan said.

 

The LTFRB-10 had long reiterated its position against the continued commercial operation of bao-bao units in Cagayan de Oro City during meetings held by the council’s public utilities committee.

In particular, Calizo said the LTFRB-10 had emphasized that bao-baos should not pass through national highways. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)