Displaced jeepney can be registered as private — LTO

Traditional public jeepneys affected by the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program may be converted to private vehicles provided they pass all the necessary tests, the Land Transportation Office said Friday.

LTO chief Vigor Mendoza said he hopes jeepney operators and drivers would opt out of their routes come 1 February if they choose not to join the PUVMP.

“They can have it (their jeepneys) registered as private provided that it will pass our (LTO) tests,” said Mendoza at a joint press conference with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board at the LTFRB central office in Quezon City.

The Department of Transportation through the LTFRB earlier said that after 31 January, traditional jeepneys that were not registered or consolidated could no longer ply their routes.

Atty. Zona Russet Tamayo, LTFRB National Capital Region director, said that jeepneys not consolidated under the PUVMP would be considered “colorum” as their franchises would have been revoked with the implementation of the modernization program.

Tamayo said these jeepneys’ franchises would be terminated by the end of this month.

“They can drop the franchises and register as private,” Tamayo said, hinting that this should be done as the LTO will also check on it with their agency.

“They can have it converted to food kiosk vehicles,” DOTr’s Office of Transportation Office head Andy Ortega told DAILY TRIBUNE.

Mendoza suggested the jeepneys could be turned into delivery vehicles, provided they passed all the procedures for conversion to private vehicles.

“We can change their yellow plates to the white ones that are used by private vehicles. Again, provided they pass all our tests ( smoke emission, roadworthiness, etc.),” Mendoza explained.

He also said that in February, they will strictly implement a “no registration, no travel” policy.

“Included here are the jeepneys that lost their franchises. So they should not go on the roads, or else they will be apprehended and their vehicles impounded. This carries a five-year imprisonment plus fines,” Mendoza said.

He added that beginning 1 February, the public could expect a lot of LTO officials and deputies on the road looking out for violators.