Group urges LTFRB to raise cap on TNVS units

A transport advocacy group is calling on the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to raise the supply cap for Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) units to help improve public transportation and the commuting experience.

In a statement, The Passenger Forum convener Primo Morillo said that "allowing more TNVS units will make this mobility option more affordable as the pricing for this service is dynamic."

"It will prevent price surges due to high demand and low supply," he said.

With lower rates for booking TNVS units, Morillo said that raising the TNVS cap will "help our transport situation in more ways than one."

"Less price surges and lower rates could convince car owners to book TNVS services instead of using their own cars. Commuters who can afford lower TNVS rates may also choose this option and could effectively lessen the demand for mass transport," he said.

The LTFRB set a supply cap of 65,000 units for TNVS.

In April this year, the agency opened the application for 7,870 units of TNVS to augment the supply of public transportation. 

Grab Philippines, however, said in June that there were only three out of 10 TNVS cars on the road, and of the almost 8,000 slots opened by the LTFRB, only 5% had been onboarded by the government.

TPF said that in an online survey in June 2019 it found that 78% of TNVS passengers suffered more frequent and expensive fares due to surge pricing and 72% experienced difficulty in booking a unit.

"The said survey was conducted from June 14–15, 2019 after the LTFRB’s mass deactivation of TNVS units on June 10, 2019," Morillo said.

"The situation is the same now given the high demand for all kinds of available transport options. We hope the LTFRB and Transport Network Companies (TNCs) will work together to address the demand for TNVS." —VBL, GMA News