By Calvin D. Cordova
Cebu City – Thinking of buying a new car for transport network vehicle service (TNVS) purposes? Think again.
Ahmed Cuizon, regional director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB), said there are too many applications for ride-hailing services in Cebu that future applications will no longer be accommodated.
“We have more than enough applications which will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. It will be futile if you buy a new car just for TNVS,” Cuizon told Manila Bulletin.
He said there were only 740 applications for TNVS when the deadline ended last September 16. But the number rose to 7,000 when Grab and Uber continued to accept applicants even if the deadline had elapsed.
The LTFRB Central Office had reserved 500 TNVS slots in Cebu, but a group of TNVS operators in the province protested that it was not enough.
The group has since started an online petition asking the LTFRB to allow more TNVS in Cebu.
Cuizon said the 500-cap for Cebu will be reviewed following the request of Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
Cuizon said the regional LTFRB was supposed to start today processing applications but it was moved to March 5 to allow independent parties to do a study to determine if there is a need for more TNVS operators in Cebu.
Cuizon said some had complained that they cannot afford to stop operating TNVS since they had resigned from work to focus on ride-hailing services. Some also acquired new cars through loans and that engaging in TNVS is their way of sustaining their monthly dues.
“This problem could have been avoided if Grab and Uber stopped accepting applications after the deadline,” said Cuizon.