Government eyes e-bike regulation

MANILA, Philippines — After receiving complaints from motorists, the government plans to regulate e-bikes and electric tricycles by banning these vehicles from major thoroughfares in Metro Manila.

At a media briefing yesterday, acting Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Romando Artes showed photos of e-bicycle and e-trike drivers traversing the South Luzon Expressway and stopping in the middle of a yellow intersection box.

Another photo showed an e-trike driver and his passengers wearing school uniforms, which Artes presumed were elementary or high school students.

Traffic enforcers cannot apprehend e-bike and e-trike drivers as they are not required to register their vehicles and secure a license to drive, Artes pointed out.

He said e-bike and e-trike users have grown “exponentially,” with the Caloocan City government recording at least 18,000.

“This needs to be addressed immediately while e-bike and e-trike drivers have not caused major accidents,” Artes said.

The government should require e-bikes and e-trikes to be registered and users must apply for a driver’s license, Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza II proposed.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is also concerned about the growing number of e-bike and e-trike users.

These vehicles are obstructing the government’s goal of modernizing public transit by competing with public utility vehicles that have been given franchises to operate, according to LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III.

Recommendations on regulating e-bikes and e-trikes will be presented to the Department of Transportation.

Artes met with DOTr, LTO and LTFRB officials as well as the traffic department heads of 17 local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila to discuss measures that would regulate e-bikes and e-trikes.

“We will take a second look at the suggestions of the LGUs to regulate the use of e-bikes and e-trikes along major roads in the metropolis,” Mendoza said.