Today, the House of Representatives announced that it has approved House Bill 7774 on its third and final reading. All 212 members present approved the "Bill of Rights of Taxi, Tourist Car Transport Service and Vehicle for Hire Passengers."
The bill's conditions include: That passengers have the right to be picked up and dropped off "regardless of the length of the journey or traffic condition by any available on duty driver"; that the vehicle be regularly serviced and checked by the Land Transportation Office (LTO); and that passengers complaints to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) must be resolved no later than seven working days after due mediation and adjudication.
Taxi drivers found violating these rules will be subject to a fine ranging from P1,000 to P5,000, plus a driver's license suspension anywhere from seven days to one year. The vehicle operators, meanwhile, will be fined P5,000 to P15,000. A mandatory education seminar is also included as punishment.
Do you guys want this bill to be passed into law? Anything that improves for passenger safety is good in our book. Let us know what you think in the comments.
