The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will no longer extend the one-month period for truck operators to secure a provisional authority to operate that will end on July 21.
In a statement, LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said this enables the agency’s Board to evaluate and process applications and deliver them on time before the one-month moratorium on apprehension of trucks without a franchise ends on July 28.
As of July 4, the agency has received 76 franchise applications from truck-for-hire operators, consisting of 271 units.
On June 27, LTFRB issued the 30-day “No Apprehension Policy” to allow trucks for hire with green plates to secure a franchise and apply for provisional authority.
The moratorium on apprehensions was implemented following the joint administrative order (JAO) issued by the Department of Transportation and Communications, LTFRB and Land Transportation Office which increased fines on illegally operating (colorum) vehicles, including trucks. Truck operators with vehicles operating without a franchise will be fined P200,000 for the first offense and the vehicle impounded for a minimum of three months.
Industry stakeholders had warned the JAO would cause a shortage of trucks on the road, considering the number of trucks without franchises. This, they said, would further exacerbate problems brought about by the Manila truck ban.
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