THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is set to implement mandatory road safety training for all public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and conductors as a prerequisite for franchise renewal.
Under Memorandum Circular No. 2024-040, the LTFRB shall develop and institutionalize the Driver’s and Conductor’s Academy Program, which includes the accreditation of driving schools that will conduct the training and mandatory road safety education of drivers and conductors of PUVs.
All PUV drivers and conductors of existing franchise holders with valid and existing certificates of public convenience and/or provisional authority and special permits, are required to complete the course designed by the LTFRB.
The enrollment fee for participants in the program is pegged at P2,000 and must be completed within a minimum of two days but not exceeding eight days.
In a statement yesterday, LTFRB chief Teofilo Guadiz III said the pilot implementation of the training program will initially be limited to Metro Manila for bus and truck drivers and conductors.
After three months, it will be expanded to other metropolitan areas across the Philippines.
In its second year, the program will include UV Express and jeepney drivers, with the final phase covering motorcycle taxis and transport network vehicle services. The training will be rolled out gradually, not all at once, the LTFRB said.
Guadiz said the mandatory training aims to reduce the number of road accidents involving PUVs and ensures drivers are aware of and comply with traffic rules and regulations.
“The first 12 hours of the training will be composed of three components, first the lecture on road safety, number two they have to undergo a psychological exam or if they’re fit to drive or how the driver will react in situations while driving or if the driver has anger issues, and number three would be teaching them basic first aid and life support during accidents,” Guadiz explained.
The LTFRB will also establish monitoring systems that would ensure the compliance of all PUV operators to hire and register only PUV drivers who passed the required continuing road safety training.
A certificate of course completion will be issued to the driver and conductor, which shall be electronically transmitted by the accredited driving school to the LTFRB upon completion.
Learning modules shall be provided by the LTFRB to the driving school upon accreditation.
“Road safety in public transport is one of the basic policies that governs rendition of public service to Filipino commuters. However, recorded data shows significant statistics on road incidents resulting in injuries and deaths to road users, among others,” Guadiz said.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has reported at least 58,000 road crashes in 2022, or an average of 157 incidents daily.
It recorded 44,493 road crashes from January to July 2023, of which 32,800 resulted in property damage, 11,525 were non-fatal and 168 were fatal road crashes.
“By teaching drivers and conductors the importance of professionalism, courtesy, and effective communication, the Drivers Academy helps improve the quality of service provided by PUV drivers,” the LTFRB said.
