“When a public motorized tricycle is carrying students, does it mean it is already a school service?”

A road safety and commuter rights group said Sunday there is no law prohibiting tricycles from ferrying students as it declared support to Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte’s opposition to the proposed ban on for-hire tricycles being used as school shuttle.

“Let’s not make a simple issue complicated. Hindi bawal sumakay ng tricycle ang estudyante papunta sa paaralan o pauwi. Walang batas na ganyan,” Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection (LCSP) founder Ariel Inton told the Daily Tribune.

Considered illegal are overloading, colorum and out-of-line tricycles and other public utility vehicles, Inton, a former QC councilor, said.

Belmonte earlier had expressed opposition to the suggestion of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to ban the use of the three-wheeled vehicles as school bus.

As long as the for-hire tricycle is not colorum, overloading, or out-of-line, the vice mayor argued it should still be allowed to serve as school shuttle service.

Echoing Belmonte’s stand, Inton pointed out tricycles are still safe to use and are more practical.

“Ang mapanganib ay ‘yung nag-o-overload ng pasahero at ang walang disiplinang pagmamaneho. Estudyante man o hindi ang nakasakay sa tricycle at overloaded ito, ‘yan ang bawal,” the former LTFRB member emphasized, describing the proposal as “misplaced.”

Tricycles, Inton said, are patronized mostly by public school students from poor families who neither have private cars nor the financial capability to pay for more expensive school bus fees.

“When a public motorized tricycle is carrying students, does it mean it is already a school service? Ibig sabihin ba na ‘pag jeep at puro students ang nagkataong nakasakay ay school service na?” Inton asked.

Belmonte had said the LFTRB should have first coordinated with the local government units (LGU) about its operations against tricycles ferrying students to and from schools.

“LTFRB should have consulted the LGU first before implementing the ban since, in Quezon City, for example, this is already covered by a local ordinance designed to address a localized issue,” Belmonte said.

Ordinance No. SP-2337-2014 or “The Quezon City Tricycle Management Code of 2014” strictly prohibits overloading of passengers in tricycles as well as colorum and out-of-line operations.

Belmonte said under the ordinance, public motorized tricycles are allowed to carry up to four passengers only, including the driver.

In certain areas like Batasan Hills, Krus na Ligas and Payatas with long-haul routes, tricycles are allowed to ferry up to five passengers: three inside the sidecar and two at the back, behind the driver.