Release TNVS guidelines before holidays, Poe tells LTFRB

Sen. Grace Poe urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Monday to finalize the guidelines on transport network vehicle services (TNVS) before the start of the holiday season to help out commuters.

She issued the reminder after the agency failed to meet its self-imposed deadline for releasing a comprehensive and effective protocol covering transport network companies (TNCs) Grab and Uber.

“I understand that given the numerous issues involved, which only came to light during the technical working group discussions, it might be irresponsible on the part of the LTFRB to release new guidelines without taking into account the new issues that have surfaced,” Poe said in a statement.

In a letter to the senator who presided over consultations between the different parties, the LTFRB said it was unable to finalize the guidelines on TNVS and TNCs due to the many issues that cropped up during its consultative meetings with the ride-sharing firms in September.

These included insurance, fleet management and minimum hours of operation, among others.

It added that there was an “imperative necessity” to address these issues before it could release the guidelines, although it assured Poe that these would be completed “as soon as possible.” —Jocelyn R. Uy