Gov Aris to meet mayors for

Grab Trike intra-town opns

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan 6 (PIA)—If plans do not go awry, trike operators in Tagbilaran City could be given access to serve in Dauis and Panglao while those who operate tricycles in the two tourism can also be allowed to pick up fares Tagbilaran.

This as Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, along with Grab Philippines, leaks a plan to gather local chief executives of these two towns and the city, to discuss the details of how Grab can help in putting up a unified on-demand-trike service to serve the commuting public and the tourists.

Still lagging in accomplishment in the government’s transportation modernization program, Bohol is also feeling the inadequacies of the past administration’s failure to come up with local public transport route plans in several areas, especially those that could have served tourism circuits.

The vacuum in public transport service presented itself as the perfect opportunity for private transport providers to operate on contracted rates, without basing on the approved Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board tariff, resulting in overcharging.

The issue has also concerned the governor who ends up getting all the unpleasant complaints about the seemingly whimsical system that has kept illegal private transport operators as the kings of the road here.

“This is an opportunity for us and the travelers who have complained of the exorbitant fares demanded by those who think of getting one time-big time,” Governor Aumentado said.

“I am looking forward to welcome Grab Trike,” he added, knowing that Grab has also offered the Grab super-app for the operation of Grab Trikes in Zamboanga City recently.

The governor told Grab officials that he has talked with City Mayor Jane Cajes-Yap and called on Dauis Mayor Roman Bullen and Panglao Mayor Edgardo Arcay for them to sit down to address the issue

Sa tinuod lang, makatabang ning Grab Trike, he narrated trike drivers from Panglao and Dauis complaining about being banned entry in Tagbilaran City, while city trike drivers have also the same meat against their incapacity to serve fares to Panglao and even passing Dauis.

Unlike public jeepneys and buses, trikes are operated under the regulation of local government units, so that Aumentado hinted this as an easier way to manage with only a few local chief executives to pitch into the project.

Once a trike driver or operator applies for Grab Trike accreditation, they automatically allow Grab super-app to track and monitor their operations in real time, with automatic fare computations and routes that the commuters can see and agree.

If given the necessary support by the mayors that we will meet, commuters from Tagbilaran City can hail an accredited Grab Trike and ferry him to his destination in Dauis or Panglao without much of a hassle. The same would be true for trikes in Dauis or Panglao.

Amidst spreading complaints about the operation of tricycles and their drivers who appear to be untouchables, demanding exorbitant rates, refusing fares and displaying attitude, and violating every conceivable traffic law, many people have aired hope that Grab can level-off the playing field in the local transport.

With Grab affiliation, just as the super-app links the driver and his unit to Grab as well as the passenger, Grab can see the route which the app suggests, and any major diversion which the driver takes, allows the passenger to immediately alert Grab.

Any complaints filed online against the driver, diminishes his points at Grab, in a system of rewards and punishment, explains Ronald Rada, Grab Country director.

The complaint can also range from driver’s hygiene, attitude, tariff violations, according to Grab.

And while Grab Trikes can also be regulated by LGUS which gives the operational franchise, the LGUS can also enhance and sanction erring drivers for blatant violations.

For Governor Aumentado, Grab Trikes can also be a very good source of Livelihood, as Grab’s CJ Lacsican VP for Cities and Business Operations, bared that with Grab, a driver usually earns about 3 to 4 times the usual take home of a daily wage worker. (rahc/PIABohol)

GRAB OPPORTUNITY. Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado shared to Boholanos the plan to allow Grab Trike intra-LGU operations in Tagbilaran City, Dauis and Panglao, to expand transportation options for business and tourism, as catches up with the approval of its delayed local public transport route plan, which is the basis for LTFRB to open up new franchise routes. (PIABohol)