LTO to hold dialogs with e-bike/trike groups before setting new rules
Last month, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) held a press conference where it presented its proposed new policies that should govern the use of electric bikes and electric trikes on national roads. This is after motorists raised concerns over the safe use of these light electric vehicles, especially on busy thoroughfares.
The Metro Manila Council (MMC) through the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), has earlier passed a resolution banning these light electric vehicles from traversing 19 of NCR’s busiest thoroughfares.
Now, the LTO says that the agency must first consult various e-bike/trike stakeholders, including Local Government Units (LGUs), before coming up with appropriate and lawful guidelines.
LTO chief, Atty. Vigor Mendoza II said the conduct of more consultative meetings is in line with the instruction of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to get the viewpoints of various groups and stakeholders before coming up with a guideline on whether or not e-bikes and e-trikes must be registered and their riders must be holders of a driver’s license.
“We share the concerns raised by motorists on the aspect of road safety involving the presence of e-bikes and e-trikes on national roads and even on major thoroughfares,” said Assec Mendoza.
“In as much as we want to set the rules for them, there are various factors that must be considered like an existing law that promotes their ownership and use, as well as the programs and projects by local government units using these e-vehicles for their constituents,” he added.
Transport sector losing income
Last week, Asec. Mendoza led the conduct of a dialogue with transport groups and organizations that support e-vehicles in the country.
Among those tackled were the concerns of transport groups that they are losing income from short trips as e-trikes are being used for public transport and the blatant traffic rules violations being committed by e-bikes and e-trikes users.
“The guideline that the LTO will be issuing will have a national scope, that’s why we want to make sure that it will be orderly, legal and acceptable to all stakeholders since some LGUs have livelihood programs that use these [light] e-vehicles,” said Mendoza.
Mendoza assured that when the LTO comes up with a new policy that should govern the use of e-bikes/trikes on the road, it will not contradict the current ordinances and electric vehicle programs of some LGU’s.
