THE Dagupan City Council is considering to issue 300 more tricycle franchises in Dagupan after a big number of interested applicants failed to get theirs last week.

The council, through the committee on public utilities, processed on August 24-26 the remaining 381 franchises available under the city’s 2,500 quota as provided for in an ordinance.

About 600 tricycle drivers and operators lined up for the application, which was undertaken on a first come, first served basis.

“Considering the big number of tricycle drivers and operators who went home frustrated in those three days of screening, there might be a need to open 300 more additional tricycle franchises,” said Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez.

The planned additional franchises will be subject to Mayor Benjamin Lim’s endorsement.

Fernandez expressed hope that Lim will give his nod to the proposal, which is intended to get rid of “colorum” tricycles that operate without franchises.

CONSULTATIONS

At the same time, Fernandez stressed that consultations with concerned sectors will first be undertaken to determine if there really is a need to issue more franchises

She suggested that officials of the local Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA), the Public Order and Safety Office, the police and the city council first hold consultations among themselves to determine if the existing roads in the city can still accommodate 300 more tricycles.

If the consensus is that city streets would already be overly congested with planned additional number, she said the additional franchises could be given for night operations.

Colorum tricycle drivers usually ply at night when there are no traffic enforcers on duty to apprehend them.

Fernandez said many families in Dagupan depend on operating passenger tricycles as their livelihood and should be allowed to legalize their trade.–LM

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments