Free matrix delivery to PUV operators

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced yesterday it would be delivering fare matrices to jeepney and bus operators for free.

"This is to avoid being victimized by fixers and to be able to avoid long queues," LTFRB Chairwoman Elena Bautista said.

"The fare matrices will be delivered to the operators’ respective homes," she said.

Starting June 27, all paid tariffs will be delivered for free by the LTFRB to the address stated in the franchises.

"There will be no more releasing of tariffs at the LTFRB, which will now simply be an assessment and payment center," Bautista said.

On the possibility that the matrices could get lost during delivery by mail, Bautista said if operators have not received their new fare matrices during the due date after they had paid for it, then all they need to do is proceed to the LTFRB main office in Quezon City, bring the original receipt and original decision.

If the operator is new or has recently purchased the vehicle from a previous owner, they need to bring the deed of sale, the petition for sale and the transfer, as well as the notice of hearing.

Bautista warned that operators should be giving their correct address in their franchises because failure to inform the LTFRB that they had moved to a new address would result in a penalty of P500.

She said that of the estimated 60,000 public utility jeepneys and non-aircon buses plying in Metro Manila, only 15,500, or 25.8 percent have paid their fees for the new matrices. Only about 7,500 or 12.5 percent of the total matrices have been released as of June 25.