DOTr resumes pilot test for motorcycle taxis until March

January 22, 2020

The Department of Transportation (DOTr)–Technical Working Group (TWG) on Wednesday wll resume a pilot run for motorcycle taxis and raised the bikers cap to 21,000 each per operator.

This came after Angkas agreed to drop all cases against government guidelines on implementing the motorcycle taxis pilot study.

TWG chairman Antonio Gardiola Jr., said the pilot run for motorcycle taxis will last until March 2020 and raise the bikers cap for Angkas, JoyRide and MoveIt. 

Last Monday, Gardiola announced that it immediately terminated the pilot study for motorcycle taxis after Angkas  defied guidelines  set by the TWG. 

The government also included Cagayan de Oro in the pilot run for motorcycle taxis. 

“We added Cagayan de Oro because we have a pilot testing in Luzon, which is Metro Manila. We have a pilot testing in Visayas, which is Cebu and we don’t have in Mindanao that is why we considered Mindanao to be included in the study,” Gardiola told reporters. 

Gardiola also said the overall cap for the three motorcyle taxi operators would be raised to 63,000 from 39,000 in Metro Manila, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. 

This means that each opeator would have a cap of 21,000 for the three pilot areas or 15,000 for Metro Manila and 3,000 each for Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. 

“But we will not be limited in that figure because under the new implementing rules there would be redistribution provision. Under the provision, if a player cannot come up with the number of riders, they can give it to other player that is ready,” Gardiola said. 

He said MoveIt agreed to give its additional 5,000 riders to Angkas. 

Gardiola added that the government may consider extending the operations of motorcycle taxis after March, depending on the result of the pilot study. DMS