Transport group seeks lower fares for Uber, Grab

(Photo courtesy of the official Facebook page of Uber)

MANILA—A transport group on Monday filed a petition seeking to cut fares of transport network vehicle services (TNVS) such as Uber and Grab.

1-UTAK chairman Atty. Vigor Mendoza filed the petition at the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), following the recent drop in diesel prices.

In his petition, Mendoza called for Uber and other transportation network companies (TNCs) and their accredited TNVS to immediately reduce their base price by 50 percent.

Mendoza also insisted that the fares of Uber and other TNVS should be patterned to taxi fares.

“The price of fuel has dropped drastically lowering the cost of operations of Uber. Uber vehicles and drivers also do not undergo and appear not to be covered by the same stringent requirements mandated for other PUVs (public utility vehicles) like vehicle markings, professional driver’s license, calibration of meters or determines the fares hence their cost of operations are lower than taxis and other PUVs,” Mendoza’s petition read.

“The vehicles are used for multiple reasons and are not dedicated to public use. Hence, they may be pulled out from public service to serve their other private uses, unlike other PUVs whose sole use and source of income come from their operators as vehicles should not be totally factored in determining reasonable fares,” it added.

Meanwhile, LTFRB board member Atty. Ariel Inton said that the Board is still reviewing if a need for exercise its oversight powers to regulate TNVS fares will be necessary. The Board also is set to hear the petition to lower TNVS fares next month.