LTO targets colorum PUVs, choosy cabbies

EDITORIAL

Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza II yesterday ordered a crackdown on colorum public utility vehicles (PUVs) and taxi drivers who refuse to convey passengers during the holidays.
    Mendoza said that under “Oplan Pasaway,” LTO personnel would be deployed in malls and other places of convergence in Metro Manila and other urban areas in the country in order to run after colorum vehicles and abusive cab drivers.
    Mendoza noted that there is always an upsurge of complaints against taxi drivers who refuse to convey passengers during the Christmas season.
    “With the expected surge in the volume of passengers this holiday season, colorum PUVs are also expected to proliferate. That’s why we ordered our personnel to go after them,” Mendoza said.
    In his order to LTO Law Enforcement Service director Francis Almora, Mendoza said there should be enough LTO enforcers deployed even after office hours, especially at night when the number of passengers increases.
    According to Mendoza, strategic deployment is also necessary in order to maximize the presence of LTO enforcers, especially in Metro Manila, where there are a number of malls and other places of convergence.
    Mendoza added that the mere presence of uniformed LTO enforcers is enough to compel erring taxi drivers to behave and deter operators and drivers of colorum PUVs from engaging in illegal activities.
    “We will also coordinate with the Philippine National Police through its Highway Patrol Group, as well as mall security managers, in order to augment our enforcers in this operation,” he added.
    He said that the public should immediately report abusive taxi drivers to LTO enforcers, police and mall guards in the area.