The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) are currently studying a potential amnesty for Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers who were onboarded despite exceeding the vehicle caps set for Transport Network Companies (TNCs).
The move follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. aimed at protecting the livelihoods of drivers and ensuring their daily income remains uninterrupted.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez explained that the driver and vehicle caps of some TNCs have exceeded.
“What’s happening here is that if they [drivers] are not allowed to board, they can’t travel. It’s not the reason there is no franchise at this point in time. What triggers this is for the TNC… on boarding them,” Lopez said.
The transport chief further explained: “This platform, if you don’t board, you can’t travel.”
According to Lopez, many drivers face financial hardship because they took out loans to purchase the vehicles they use for ride-hailing.
“When we cut [them] off right away, all that is foreclosed. The problem is bigger. And I said the timing now, because of what’s happening in the Middle East is also a bit uncertain for them,” he explained.
Currently, the DOTr said it is weighing and studying carefully what is best for everyone.
