THE jeepney strike in Pangasinan on Friday failed to paralyze the public with only 20% of public transport coming to a stop, according to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Region 1.

The nationwide strike, called by the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO) headed by Efren de Luna who met with officials of the Alliance of United Transport Organization (AUTOPro) last month in Dagupan City, was called to protest the Department of Transportation and Communication’s (DOTC) order 2008-39 increasing penalties for driving violations.

But AutoPro hailed the strike as a success noting the support of a great majority of its members.

“It was a very successful strike,” said Benny Aquino, AutoPro president whose group has 22- member association groups in Pangasinan”.

“This is not for us PUJ (public utility jeepney) drivers only. It’s for all drivers,” he told The PUNCH, adding that the exorbitant fees laid out in the order will be a source of corruption among representatives of the Land Transportation Office who patrol the streets.

The jeepney drivers’ group is protesting the higher penalties for traffic and administrative violations such as driving without license with delinquent or expired license driving under the influence of liquor and drugs, possession of fake licenses and registration documents, etc.

Other listed violations with higher penalties include a driver with student permit not accompanied by a licensed driver, motorists driving vehicles with faulty lights, expired commemorative plates, without spare tires, failure to carry EWD, etc.

LTFRB Regional Director Bruno Patricio said minimal inconvenience was felt by commuters as other modes of public transport such as tricycles and buses continued with their regular operation.

In Dagupan City, the members of the Dagupan Downtown Loop Transport Association, which is not affiliated with AUTOPro, continued to ply their routes the whole day.

Many tricycle drivers, however, reportedly took advantage of the situation by charging commuters exorbitant fees.

Patricio noted that schools are already closed for the summer break and that helped minimize the inconvenience to the public.

Patricio earlier warned AUTOPro, which threatened to continue with the strike until the DOTC order is recalled, that its members can be slapped with charges of abandonment of service if somebody files a complaint.

Appealing to the drivers to maintain calm and sobriety, Patricio assured the drivers that higher officials of the Department of Transportation and Communication are meeting on April 15 to discuss their grievances.

Patricio maintained that the revised schedule of fines and penalties for traffic violations is actually for the good of the public as it will instill discipline in drivers.—LM

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