The Bacolod City government will begin its drive against about 10,000 illegally operating tricycles when the uniforms and identification cards of its deputized agents are all distributed, Councilor Al Victor Espino said Sunday, February 19.
The operations against the colorum tricycles for failure to avail of franchises and business permits were scheduled to start Monday, February 20.
However, because of the delay in the distribution of uniforms and IDs the operations were suspended but he will know on Monday when they can begin, Espino said.
They hope it can be done at the soonest possible time, he said.
The deputized agents who compose the apprehending teams are presidents of about 60 groups under the Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Associations (TODA), Espino said.
There are no less than 15,000 tricycles estimated to be operating in Bacolod City and there are only about 5,200 that are registered with franchises. About 10,000 are operating without franchises, he added.
If the the tricycles have no franchises they cannot avail of insurance for the protection of the drivers and the passengers, he said.
The tricycles must avail of a franchise and business permit from the city government, and register as a TODA member at the Land Transportation Office, he added.*