Rules and Regulations Governing Operation of Taxi Units (E.O. No. 125, s. 1987, as amended)

December 19, 1988

LTFRB-LTO JOINT MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 89-089

SUBJECT : Rules and Regulations Governing Operation of Taxi Units

Pursuant to Section 5 of Executive Order No. 125, as amended and by virtue of the rule-making power of the Department of Transportation and Communications as specifically vested in the Secretary under Section 6 thereof, the following rules and regulations governing the operation of taxi units are hereby issued:

SECTION 1. A fine of Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000.00) shall be imposed upon the owner/operator of a taxi unit with a fast, tampered, defective or non-operational taxi-meter, or with a tampered, broken, fake or altered meter seal. The license of the driver of said taxi unit shall be confiscated and suspended for three (3) months for the first violation. For the second violation, the driver's license shall be suspended for six (6) months and for the third, the said license shall be revoked.

SECTION 2. The owner/operator of a taxi unit found to have any device, contrivance, appliance or gadget, mechanical, electronic or otherwise, for the purpose of making the taximeter fast shall be penalized by a fine of Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000.00). The license of the driver of said taxi unit shall be confiscated and suspended for three (3) months for the first violation. For the second violation, the driver's license shall be suspended for six (6) months and for the third, the said license shall be revoked.

SECTION 3. A fine of Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00) shall be imposed upon the owner/operator of a taxi unit found to have tampered, broken, joined, reconnected, fake or altered sealing wire. The license of the driver of said taxi unit shall be confiscated and suspended for one (1) month for the first violation. For the second violation, the driver's license shall be suspended for three (3) months and for the third, six (6) months. DAaIEc

SECTION 4. The driver of a taxi unit who refuses to render service to the public or to convey a passenger to his destination shall be penalized by a fine of Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00).

SECTION 5. A fine of Two Hundred Fifty Pesos (P250.00) shall be imposed upon the owner/operator of a taxi unit for the following violations:

a) Violation of color scheme or adoption of a new color and design without the prior approval of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

b) Unregistered or unauthorized tradename or unauthorized used thereof.,

c) Failure to paint body number on both sides of the body.

d) Failure to present taxi unit for annual testing and calibration, old meter, transmission and/or triplex seal.

e) Loose triplex seal.

f) Operating taxi unit with flagged-up meter or on contractual basis.

The license of the driver of the taxi unit operated with flagged-up meter or on contractual basis shall be confiscated and suspended for one (1) month.

SECTION 6. The driver of a taxi unit shall be penalized with a fine of Seventy-Five Pesos (P75.00) for driving the vehicle without his driver's uniform.

SECTION 7. For operating a taxi unit without a taximeter, the driver and the operator/owner thereof shall be penalized with a fine of Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00) each.

SECTION 8. The owner/operator of a taxi unit shall be penalized with a fine of Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00) for installing in his vehicle an air-conditioning unit without proper authority. The same penalty shall be imposed upon the owner/operator of a taxi unit authorized to operate as an air-conditioned unit, who fails to paint prominently on both sides of his taxi the word "AIR-CON" in solid block letters measuring 12 centimeters tall and 8 centimeters wide. HDacIT

SECTION 9. A fine of One Hundred Pesos (P100.00) shall be imposed upon the owner/operator of a taxi unit for the following violations:

a) Failure to provide light on taximeter.

b) Failure to provide top light indicating availability.

c) Failure to provide clean seat cover.

SECTION 10. The owner/operator of a taxi unit shall pay a fine of Two Hundred Fifty Pesos (P250.00) for failure to put his name and address thereon.

SECTION 11. The LTO law enforcement officers and deputized agents shall impound or cause the impounding of taxi units or confiscate their number plates upon their determination that any of the foregoing violations have been committed. Subject taxi unit shall remain impounded or their number plates shall remain in the custody of the LTO until the violations charged against the operator/owner and/or drivers thereof have finally been adjudicated and the fines imposed paid except when the judgment itself orders the continued impounding of the vehicle or the holding of the number plates pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations.

SECTION 12. Except for petitions for suspension or revocation of the franchise or authority to operate which shall be within the exclusive and original jurisdiction of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), all cases involving violations hereof shall be filed with and adjudicated by the Traffic Adjudication Service (TAS) of the LTO. With due regard to the right to due process of law of the parties, all cases shall be heard through summary administrative proceedings.

SECTION 13. The franchise of a taxi operator may be suspended or revoked by the LTFRB if it appears from his repeated violation of these rules and regulations or from other justifiable circumstances, the operator has knowingly violated the conditions of his franchise or has otherwise demonstrated his unfitness to be a public utility operator.

SECTION 14. The Law Enforcement Service (LES) of the LTO, upon the third conviction of an operator for violation of any of the provisions hereof, shall file immediately with the LTFRB a Petition for the Suspension or revocation of franchise and shall prosecute the same.

SECTION 15. All rules, regulations and circulars inconsistent herewith are deemed superseded. cAHIST

SECTION 16. This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

(SGD.) REMEDIOS SALAZAR-FERNANDOChairman, LTFRB

(SGD.) MANUEL N. SABALZAAssistant Secretary, LTO

APPROVED:

(SGD.) RAINERIO O. REYESSecretaryDepartment of Transportation and Communications

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 85 No. 7 on February 13, 1989.