LTFRB to summon Grab to explain deactivation of drivers, fare discounts
Published Jun 5, 2019 05:11 pm
By Alexandria San Juan
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is set to issue a show cause order (SCO) against ride-hailing firm Grab Philippines over its alleged offenses and to explain the status of deactivation of some of its drivers.
A passenger opens the GRAB Philippines mobile application to book a Grab car unit in Manila. (CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
LTFRB chairman Atty. Martin Delgra confimed that it will summon MyTaxi.PH Inc., the local unit of Grab, through an SCO to be released Thursday.
" for MyTaxi.PH (Grab Philippines) to explain the status of deactivation and to answer complaints of alleged practice of not granting 20% discount for senior citizens as well as for PWD (person with disabilities) and students," Delgra said in a text message.
According to Delgra, the decision to issue a show cause order versus Grab surfaced during a board meeting on Tuesday night.
In last week's Congressional hearing, lawmakers pressed LTFRB to investigate the transport network company's (TNC) alleged offenses including its non-compliance on laws mandating them to grant a 20 percent fare discount for students, senior citizens, and PWDs.
The Congress also accused Grab of operating around 8,000 transport network vehicle services (TNVS) providers considered as "colorum" for failing to obtain provisional authority (PA) from the LTFRB.
Earlier, Grab Philippines bared that it is ready to remove by June 10 at least 8,000 drivers who did not submit a proof of PA from the Board.
In December last year, the LTFRB opened 20,000 slots for TNVS and those who applied were given a deadline of until June 7 to complete their application requirements.
Grab Philippines President Brian Cu admitted that the removal of these active TNVS partners, which equates to at least 100,000 rides a day, would cause inconvenience among passengers.
With this, passengers should expect longer booking time and frequent surcharges beginning next week.
However, Cu is also optimistic that this "inconvenience" will be temporary adding that they expect new drivers, including those among the 8,000, to take advantage of the 10,000 slots to be opened by the LTFRB for new TNVS applications also on June 10.
A passenger opens the GRAB Philippines mobile application to book a Grab car unit in Manila. (CAMILLE ANTE / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
LTFRB chairman Atty. Martin Delgra confimed that it will summon MyTaxi.PH Inc., the local unit of Grab, through an SCO to be released Thursday.
" for MyTaxi.PH (Grab Philippines) to explain the status of deactivation and to answer complaints of alleged practice of not granting 20% discount for senior citizens as well as for PWD (person with disabilities) and students," Delgra said in a text message.
According to Delgra, the decision to issue a show cause order versus Grab surfaced during a board meeting on Tuesday night.
In last week's Congressional hearing, lawmakers pressed LTFRB to investigate the transport network company's (TNC) alleged offenses including its non-compliance on laws mandating them to grant a 20 percent fare discount for students, senior citizens, and PWDs.
The Congress also accused Grab of operating around 8,000 transport network vehicle services (TNVS) providers considered as "colorum" for failing to obtain provisional authority (PA) from the LTFRB.
Earlier, Grab Philippines bared that it is ready to remove by June 10 at least 8,000 drivers who did not submit a proof of PA from the Board.
In December last year, the LTFRB opened 20,000 slots for TNVS and those who applied were given a deadline of until June 7 to complete their application requirements.
Grab Philippines President Brian Cu admitted that the removal of these active TNVS partners, which equates to at least 100,000 rides a day, would cause inconvenience among passengers.
With this, passengers should expect longer booking time and frequent surcharges beginning next week.
However, Cu is also optimistic that this "inconvenience" will be temporary adding that they expect new drivers, including those among the 8,000, to take advantage of the 10,000 slots to be opened by the LTFRB for new TNVS applications also on June 10.