Unregistered vehicles, colorum PUVs apprehended for road safety

Transport authorities, led by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), have been aggressive in apprehending colorum and unregistered vehicles, saying that the campaign helps ensure safety for all road users.

“Hindi lang obligasyon sa gobyerno…para sa kaligtasan ng lahat dahil kasama sa pagpaparehistro ang pag-inspect [ng] roadworthiness [Not just an obligation to government…also for everyone’s safety because part of vehicle registration is the inspection for roadworthiness],” Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief and DOTr Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said in a press release.

More than 10,000 unregistered motor vehicles were apprehended in June according to Mr. Mendoza.

The 6,824 cases of apprehended motorcycles led the list of unregistered vehicles, followed by 1,787 tricycles, 954 private vans, 451 private sedans, and 230 trucks.

Mr. Mendoza said that 9,212 of the apprehended motor vehicles were issued traffic violation tickets.

“Ito ay alinsunod sa patuloy na pagsusulong ng DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista na maging ligtas ang lahat ng road user sa ating bansa [This coincides with DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista’s goal of ensuring the safety of road users in the country],” he said.

‘No Plate, No Travel’

In compliance with promoting road safety, the LTO launched its “No Plate, No Travel” policy in Quezon City last Monday.

Around 23 tricycles plying their routes received apprehensions due to lack of registration, missing license plates, and driving without driver’s licenses.

According to the policy’s memorandum , tricycles plying their routes must have valid and authorized license plates clearly visible and properly attached to their vehicle. Violation of this will result in apprehension with appropriate legal action and penalties following existing laws and regulations.

Mr. Mendoza added that the policy adhered to DOTr’s instruction to ensure safer roads for everyone, especially commuters who rely on tricycles as their main mode of transport going to offices and schools.

“Tuloy-tuloy na ang implementation nito sa buong Quezon City and soon, this will be replicated nationwide, [The policy will continuously be implemented in Quezon City, and will soon be implemented nationwide,”] he said.

Colorum Crackdown

In less than a year, the Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation of the DOTr (DOTr-SAICT) have collected P135 million in fines imposed upon colorum transport vehicles.

Colorum crackdown from November 2023 to June 2024 has apprehended 364 violators according to the DOTr-SAICT

In a Facebook post , the DOTr-SAICT said that the Anti-Colorum campaign “has played a pivotal role in cracking down on illegal transport activities that jeopardize the safety of commuters and road users.”

Further, the campaign aims to ensure public safety by halting illegal transport activities with a P200,000 fine for unauthorized vans and P1 million for illegal buses.

“Let’s see to it that we enforce our regulations…that road safety and regulations are continuously implemented,” Transport Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said in a conference with regional directors of the LTO last June 6. – Almira Louise S. Martinez