In response to the growing use of e-bikes and e-trikes, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is set to conduct continuous dialogues with stakeholders to establish comprehensive guidelines for their regulation.
Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II of the LTO emphasized the importance of these consultations, stating that input from various groups will shape the forthcoming regulations.
The discussions aim to address the concerns of motorists regarding road safety, especially on national roads and major thoroughfares. “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,” said Assec Mendoza.
Last week’s dialogue, led by Assec Mendoza, highlighted the issues faced by traditional transport groups, who reported a decline in income due to the popularity of e-trikes for short trips. Additionally, the rampant disregard for traffic rules by some e-vehicle users was highlighted.
The LTO’s guidelines will have a national scope, ensuring they are well-founded, legal, and acceptable to all parties involved. “Titiyakin natin na magiging akma ang ating guideline at hindi naman matatapakan ang local autonomy ng ating mga LGUs lalo na at may mga ordinansa at patakaran ng nilabas ang ilang LGUs tungkol dito,” he added.
(We will ensure that our guidelines will be appropriate and will not infringe on the local autonomy of our LGUs, especially since some of them have released ordinances and policies about this.)
The LTO’s initiative is seen as a crucial step towards integrating e-vehicles into the country’s transportation ecosystem while safeguarding the interests of all stakeholders.
