Protesting UV Express drivers snarl QC traffic 

A picket by drivers of UV Express vehicles worsened the already heavy traffic around the Quezon Memorial Circle on Monday morning.

 

The UV Express vehicles occupied up to three lanes of the elliptical road as of 7 a.m., radio dzBB's Glen Juego reported.

 

Led by the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations, the UV Express drivers in the picket questioned the higher penalties to be imposed on colorum drivers starting June 19.

 

It was the second time that UV Express drivers held a picket this month to protest the higher penalties to be imposed by the Department of Transportation and Communications and Land Transportation Office.

 

Last June 6, Friday rush hour traffic on a portion of Ortigas Avenue in Mandaluyong City was also disrupted after some 200 UV Express drivers held a protest near the DOTC head office.

 

The DOTC earlier said it was cracking down on pubic transport vehicles without valid franchises by imposing heftier fines starting June 19.

 

It said fines for first-time offenders include:

 

Buses: P1 million

Trucks: P200,000

Jeepneys: P50,000

Vans: P200,000

Sedans: P120,000

Motorcycles: P6,000

 

Also, colorum vehicles will be impounded for at least three months while the entire franchise to which the colorum vehicle belongs will be revoked (http://www.dotc.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=766:abaya-colorum-buses-to-be-slapped-with-p-1m-fine&Itemid=103).

 

The said vehicles will also be blacklisted from being used as PUVs in the future.

 

For second offenses, the entire fleet or all certificates of public convenience of the operator will be revoked, the vehicles will be blacklisted from being used as PUVs in the future, and their vehicle registrations will also be revoked.

 

Also, the operator will be disqualified from operating any kind of public land transportation. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News