Poe to TRB: Explain drastic hike on NLEX toll rates
Published Jun 13, 2023 07:20 am
The drastic hike in toll rates beginning June 15 must be explained in detail to the motoring public, Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday, June 13, said.
Sen. Grace Poe (Senate PRIB Photo)
“If these were periodic adjustments from more than a decade ago, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) must explain why it only approved it now in one big swoop,” she said. The chairperson of the Senate public services committee said the question of reasonableness should not just be based on the PPP contract but also on traffic data. “Is the expressway really providing express service? Is the convenience provided equal to what is being charged?” she asked. “Maybe it is also high time that the government study dynamic pricing. We should not be charging high rates if customer satisfaction is low or performance benchmarks are not met,’’ she added. While fare adjustments are within the PPP contract, the TRB has the duty to ensure that the interests of the commuting public are also protected, she pointed out. “I urge the Toll Regulatory Board to look into this matter in a different perspective and make considerations for the end-users,” Poe said. “We pay tolls for a faster journey - that is exactly why it is called an expressway. We should approve toll fees in the same speeds that the expressway affords its users,” she stressed. The TRB said the increase was part of its authorized periodic adjustments due in 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2020.
Sen. Grace Poe (Senate PRIB Photo)
“If these were periodic adjustments from more than a decade ago, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) must explain why it only approved it now in one big swoop,” she said. The chairperson of the Senate public services committee said the question of reasonableness should not just be based on the PPP contract but also on traffic data. “Is the expressway really providing express service? Is the convenience provided equal to what is being charged?” she asked. “Maybe it is also high time that the government study dynamic pricing. We should not be charging high rates if customer satisfaction is low or performance benchmarks are not met,’’ she added. While fare adjustments are within the PPP contract, the TRB has the duty to ensure that the interests of the commuting public are also protected, she pointed out. “I urge the Toll Regulatory Board to look into this matter in a different perspective and make considerations for the end-users,” Poe said. “We pay tolls for a faster journey - that is exactly why it is called an expressway. We should approve toll fees in the same speeds that the expressway affords its users,” she stressed. The TRB said the increase was part of its authorized periodic adjustments due in 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2020.