Tugade warns of penalties vs defiant driving schools as price cap takes effect April 15
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) called on driving schools across the country to comply with its memorandum that sets a cap on the amount that would be paid by those applying for new driver’s license.
This, as the maximum pay limit of P5,000 for light vehicles and P3,500 for motorcycles takes effect on Saturday, April 15 based on the Memorandum Circular issued by the LTO last month.
But this early, LTO chief JayArt Tugade said he is confident that no driving school would defy the memorandum circular as the Association of Accredited Driving Schools of the Philippines, Inc. (AADSPI), Philippine Association of LTO Accredited Driving Schools (PALADS) and other companies have already committed to support it.
Tugade initiated the review of the driving school fees amid numerous complaints of the high fees that those who wish to apply for driver’s license need to shell out—ranging from P9,000 to P15,000.
While the LTO only charges minimal fees for new and renewal of driver’s license— P250 for student permit and P685 for driver’s license—the high fees being driving schools placed the agency in a bad light.
The Theoretical Driving Course (TDC) is mandatory for those seeking student permits while TDC and Practical Driving Course is mandatory for those who are applying for driver’s license.
“This is our response to numerous complaints that we have been receiving about the high fees and varying fees being charged by driving schools across the country. This is proof that we are listening to the people’s suggestions and complaints,” said Tugade.
Tugade used the regulatory power of the LTO to set a maximum limit of fees, saying what they are after is to ensure that seeking student permit and driver’s license would not be a burden to the public.
Tugade warned that driving schools would face sanctions if they dare to defy the LTO memorandum.
In case there is a violation of the maximum fees for TDC and PDC, Tugade said the penalty for first offense is P50,000 and suspension of six months while the second offense has P100,000 penalty and one year suspension.
For the third offense, he said the penalty is revocation of the accreditation, which means that the driving schools which committed three violations would no longer be allowed to operate.
Tugade, however, said that the dialogue will not stop in order to consider the concerns of the driving schools.