A MASSIVE operation against colorum (unregistered) vehicles to be led by the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will start on Monday, October 10, in Bacolod City.
Councilor Dindo Ramos, chair of committee on transportation, announced this as he conducted a public hearing attended by representatives of transport groups and other stakeholders in the local transportation industry.
Ramos said he will author a resolution directing the BTAO through the City Mayor’s Office to be consistent in the operation against colorum vehicles.
It will not only cover vans, but all other motor vehicles, including tricycles because it was found out that more than 150 tricycles are plying the city streets without franchise, he added.
Colorum vehicles that will be apprehended will be impounded and operators will be fined P150,000 to P200,000 with the confiscation of the license of the driver.
Ramos said that colorum vehicle passengers, in case of accident, will not get anything from the operator, and their operation also denies additional revenues for the city since many operators don’t declare their exact number of units.
The LTFRB considers a unit to be colorum if it has no franchise; there is a franchise, but plying out of route of the franchise area; with franchise but tourist plate; and if it has expired or suspended franchise.
Moreover, Ramos said that Vallacar Transit Inc., operator of Ceres Liner buses, is also urged to avoid parking their buses on the streets because the law should be imposed to everybody.
