A GOVERNMENT ban on small and slow-moving public vehicles on highways and national roads excludes motorcycles being used for public transportation via ride-hailing apps.

IMPLEMENT. A city hall composite team hauls off tricycles, motorized pedicabs, and tri-cabs as it continues road clearing operations on a highway in Puerto in compliance of the interior department’s order. (photo courtesy of Reynan Baylin, CIO)

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in Region 10 said companies providing motorcycle-taxi services such as Angkas, JoyRide and Moveit are exempted from the ban ordered by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

LTFRB officials on Thursday welcomed the national government’s ban on tricycles and other three-wheel vehicles used for public transport.

Memorandum Circular 2020-036 issued by the DILG directed local government officials to prohibit the small vehicles from the national highway.

“The ban will clear our national roads and help decongest the national highways of traffic,” said Aminoden Guro, LTFRB director for northern Mindanao.

Aside from tricycles, also prohibited to operate are pedicabs, motorized pedicab, and even the so-called “tri-cab.”

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said three-wheeled public vehicles are not allowed to even cross or make U-turns on highways.

“Local governments must review and modify tricycle routes according to the ban and are encouraged to include in their plans the construction of local roads or overpasses where the tricycles can operate,” Año said.

Guro said he has received instructions from the Department of Transportation’s technical working group (TWG) to allow the three motorcycle-hailing operators to operate in this city with a cap of 1,000 units per player.

The TWG has included this city from the pilot study on the viability of motorcycle-taxis that would run until March 23.

In a previous interview, Guro said he has given Angkas the green light after the company complied with all the requirements set by the TWG.

He said he has approved the operation of Angkas in Cagayan de Oro after LTFRB conducted random inspections on some of its 925 motorcycles on Feb. 20.

Angeline Tham, Angkas chief executive officer, said Angkas’s aim is to professionalize the “habal-habal” (motorcycle-for-hire) industry that has been in existence and has served thousands of commuters in Mindanao for decades.

But as of Thursday, Angkas has yet to operate in the city, a week after the LTFRB approved its permit.