LTFRB clarifies Francisco Motors' request on TsuperHero pilot

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Thursday, 11 April, clarified that the request of Francisco Motors for its TsuperHero program pilot implementation has been reviewed and found several technical factors that must be addressed before granting the special permits.

Firstly, the LTFRB explained that the "proposed route Merry Homes, Caloocan to Sta. Monica Shop and Ride Novaliches, Quezon City is not an existing route of CAZANOVA Transport Service Cooperative."

Francisco Motors has announced it intends to work with the CAZANOVA Transport Service Cooperative for its pilot implementation of the TsuperHero program.

According to the LTFRB, the existing routes are Cielito Homes-Nova via Camarin Road Quirino with 39 authorized units and Almar Subdivision-Gotesco Commonwealth via Regalado with 12 authorized units.

"As seen on the route map, the endpoint of the proposed route Sta. Monica Shop and Ride, Novaliches, Quezon City amounted to a modification of its original route," the LTFRB said.

"Memorandum Circular No. 2023-037 provides for the Guidelines for the Amendment of Fixed Routes of PUVs in MUCEP Area. Inclusion of the proposed route to any initiatives, like the "TsuperHero Program" is not under any of the conditions specified in the Memorandum Circular," it added.

The agency stressed that "under the existing policy, special permits are issued by the Board once the proposed routes are opened thru a Memorandum Circular as stated in LTFRB's Citizens Charter."

On Francisco Motor's proposal to offer for free their modernized jeepneys to those under the TsuperHero program, the LTFRB found that Franciso Motors "do not have a Certificate of Compliance from the Department of Transportation (DOTr)."

Regarding the proposal of unlimited rides, the LTFRB pointed out that "Francisco Motors does not have the authority to determine or prescribe the fares of the units to be used in the pilot implementation."

On the request for equity subsidy before the DOTr, the LTFRB stressed that Francisco Motors "is not any of those financial institutions or partnership concessions specified in the Department Order which are authorized to assist Transport Service Entities (TSE) in the acquisition of their modern units."

The LTFRB cited Section 6 Fiscal and Non-Fiscal Support of Department Order 2023-022 which provides that "the Department of Transportation shall partner with financial institutions, either government financing institutions (GFIs) or private financial institutions (PFIs), public-private partnership concessions, Official Development Assistance (ODA) partners, international financial institutions, or a combination thereof for programs to assist the transport service entities in the acquisition of modern PUV units."