HAS the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) recently approved an increase in fares for UV and FX vehicles?

This is the question being asked by hundred commuters after they were surprised that UV Express and Van drivers are charging more compared to the usual fare imposed before the start of COVID-19 pandemic early last year.

With more people going out of their homes to work and do their usual business now that the country is under COVID-19 Alert Level 2 until December 31, there is an increase demand for public utility vehicles such as traditional jeepneys and UV Express and Van.

However, some UV and Van drivers are reportedly taking advantage of the situation by hiking their fares even without the approval of the LTFRB, thus leaving many commuters disappointed.

One female passenger said that she and her husband took a UV Express ride from Banawe to Fairview Center Mall (FCM) and charged them P60. The fare usually charge by drivers from that route before the pandemic is P30.

Meanwhile, a male passenger who commutes to work by riding a UV Express vehicle, said the fare charge by drivers from Philcoa, Quezon City to Manila City Hall route (vice versa) is P40 while Philcoa to Quiapo (vice versa) route is P35, which is P10 to P15 higher from the usual fare charge.

The minimum fare charge by drivers is P20.

The male passenger said some of the UV/Van drivers even get angry when other passengers complain of their high fare charges.

They even told the complaining passenger that he/she has an option to just get out of the vehicle if they do not agree with the amount of the fare they charge.

“Sila (UV and Van drivers) pa ang galit pag may nagreklamo,” the male passenger said.

“Yung iba sabi nila hindi naman daw sila namimilit na sumakay sa kanila. Bumaba na lang daw pasahero pag ayaw nila magbayad sa singil nila,” he said.

The male passenger even commended jeepney drivers for not raising their fares despite also being heavily affected by the pandemic as transportation was shut down by many months last year to prevent the further spread of Covid.

“Buti pa mga traditional jeepneys hindi sila nagtaas ng pamasahe,” he said.

“Sana din po bigyan pansin agad ito ng LTFRB, Land Transportation Office lalo na ang Inter-Agency Task Force”.