2 MIN READBy ALMA B. SINUMLAG
www.nordis.net
BAGUIO CITY — The taxi meter calibration for the new P35 flag down rate has started on July 13.
CALIBRATION INSPECTION. One of the processes in calibrating a taxi unit is the inspection where the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) will check if the taxi markings, lights, garbage can and others are in the right places. Photo by Alma B. Sinumlag
Celina Claver, the regional director of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), who was helping in the calibration on July 14 said this will greatly affect the colorum taxis. “Makita nga talagan ti colorum ta haan da nga maselyuan,” (Colorum taxis will be identified because they will not be issued the official seal.) she added.
DOTC set a deadline for the calibration on the 1st week of August. However, they will still be accepting late applicants until mid August but with penalty.
Moreover, Claver said the set quota for calibration per day is 70 units. They will however try to go beyond to accommodate all before the deadline.
According to Benny Dacpano, the vice president of the Samahan ng mga Taxi operators sa CAR (STCAR) the registered taxi units in the city as of 2010 is 2,800.
Arthur Galvan from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) tapped by the DOTC for the inspection explained the process of the calibration. He said:
First, the applicants go to the office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to secure and file for their application for calibration with copies of the required documents like: Official Receipt and Certificate of Registration (ORCR), Franchise or case number, business trade name and the receipt of a meter with printer then pay P1,010 which is the fee for application processing and calibration.
Next step is the inspection at the convention center. Taxi units will be checked for compliance to plates, serial numbers, etc. inside and outside the unit, lights, garbage can, etc. Galvan said, advertisements on the windows of the unit are prohibited. “There shall be no unnecessary stickers,” he added.
After the inspection, the unit will be subjected to a road test. The meter with printer will be checked if it is working. After the road test, the unit will line up for the resealing which is the last step.
Meter with printer shall be bought from dealers. It costs P6,500 to P7,500 depending on the brand according to Dacpano.
STCAR he said had a tie-up with Pinoy Roadrunner (one of the meter dealers) wherein STCAR members can avail of the meter with printer at a discounted price of P6,000 from its original price of P7,500.
Moreover, Dacpano said they did not receive or hear of any opposition to the fare hike from the riding public. “Sabagay na-Condition dan dagiti commuters ta idi January pay lang daytoy nga issue,” (The commuters are already conditioned because it has been an issue since January) he added.
The official receipt of the of the meter contains the name, address, TIN number, contact number of the taxi operator, the kilometers traveled and the amount of the fare. # nordis.net
