THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said they are considering amnesty for transport network vehicle service (TNVS) drivers who were onboarded beyond the approved vehicle cap of transport network companies (TNCs).
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the issue stemmed from some TNCs exceeding their authorized driver and vehicle limits by onboarding more drivers than allowed.
”What happens here is that if they are not onboarded, they cannot operate. At this point, it is not about lacking a franchise. What triggers this is the TNC onboarding them,” Lopez said.
He added that drivers rely on being onboarded onto digital platforms to be able to accept bookings and earn income.
The transport chief noted that many drivers are already financially exposed, with some having taken out loans to acquire vehicles for TNVS operations.
”If we cut them off right away, many of those vehicles could be foreclosed. The problem would only grow bigger,” he said.
Lopez cited wider economic uncertainties, including developments in the Middle East, which he said could further affect the financial stability of drivers.
The DOTr said it is carefully weighing policy options, in coordination with the LTFRB, to determine a solution that balances regulatory compliance with the welfare of affected drivers.
