E-tricycles plying routes sans docs?

CEBU, Philippines - Electronic tricycles or e-tricycles operating in Talisay City may soon stop plying routes after officials found out that the vehicles lack necessary documents from the Land Transportation Office.

City Councilor Valeriano Ylanan confirmed yesterday that because of such missing approval, these e-tricycles are considered illegal and should therefore be apprehended.

Ylanan, chairman of City of Talisay-Traffic Operation Development Authority (CT-TODA), recently convened the owners of e-tricycles following a group complaint his office has received from the ordinary tricycle drivers.

In their petition, tricycle drivers said it is unfair for e-trike operators to ply the streets and fetch passengers when, unlike them, they don’t possess the necessary documents from the government.

The tricycle drivers said they are likely to lose their livelihood if e-tricycles continuously operate in the city.

Introduced by Racal company, the e-tricycle is operated when charged. It has the power to run up to 40 kph and can accommodate five to six passengers.

Boy Solera, area manager of Racal, said they already released 50 units of e-tricycle in Talisay City alone.

He said they are already on the process of registering their product, adding they are now included in the system of the LTO.

Solera asked Ylanan to give the owner of e-tricycles to operate until the end of the year within which they will secure the legal documents.

But Ylanan told The FREEMAN that since the documents are yet to be processed, then the e-tricycle is still considered illegal and could be apprehended anytime.

He said he is just doing his job.

"What is illegal is still illegal," he said.

Ylanan said those who cannot afford to follow the traffic rules will now have to explain themselves to the traffic enforcers whenever they will be apprehended.

He added that he will again convene the e-tricycle owners and the tricycle drivers to settle the issue.

There was no representative from the tricycle drivers during the meeting.

E-tricycle reportedly originated from Japan and Racal introduced the unit here in the Philippines.

Calixto Lorenzana, a former trisikad driver who now drives an e-trike, told The FREEMAN he was able to purchase his unit in installment terms. He pays P120 daily to the owner or over P3,000 per month for a duration of three years.

"Daghang pasahero unya dako sab ang kita," he said. (FREEMAN)