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Crackdown on public transport overloading looms amid daily commuter woes

Francis Orcio

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The perennial problem of commuters packed literally like sardines in public utility vehicles, especially during rush hour, is once again under scrutiny as transportation regulators move for strict enforcement of measures against overloading.Violators risk the suspension or loss of their franchises. Modern jeepney driver Antonio Valos, who plies the Cogeo-Antipolo-Cubao route, is used to the struggle of keeping passengers from forcing themselves into already full vehicles, sometimes loaded beyond capacity.“Kapag rush hour, kawawa rin kasi iyong mga pasahero. Male-late na kasi sila sa trabaho. Kaya iyong iba, napipilitan na lang tumayo [sa loob ng jeep],” said Valos.(During rush hour, passengers have no choice. They have to get to work on time, so others choose to stand in the aisle)To address overloading, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) are intensifying their crackdown through a reinforced anti-overloading (anti-sardinas) policy.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/10/lto-probe-driver-involved-in-katipunan-road-crash-had-previous-cases-of-overloaded-truck-1534">LTO probe: Driver in Katipunan road crash had previous cases of overloading</a></div>Under the stricter rules, no public utility vehicle (PUV) may accept passengers beyond the maximum capacity set by manufacturers.Violators, whether drivers or operators, face the suspension or outright cancellation of their Certificate of Public convenience or their authorization to operate.LTO chief Gregorio Pua said on Wednesday, July 9, that commuters should expect more law enforcers to monitor major roads and highways to implement the policy.He said the LTO has been deploying inspection teams, but these have been focused on the road worthiness of PUVs.“Ngayon, magdadagdag tayo ng isang team na strict, titingnan itong public utility vehicles lalo na sa mga highways,” said Pua.(Now, we will also have a team that will check public utility vehicles, especially on highways)The LTFRB cited a rise in complaints from commuters inconvenienced by overfilled vehicles as the reason for the tougher policy.Traditional jeeps can carry from 12 to 32 passengers. Modern jeeps may still carry standing passengers, but these must not exceed five people per square meter.Buses are capped at around 50 passengers, with standing allowed only within specified limits.Meanwhile, UV Express vehicles can carry only nine passengers including the driver for AUVs, ten for regular vans, and up to twelve for extended vans.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/08/30/22/lto-nagbabala-vs-pagsakay-ng-bata-sa-overloaded-tricycle">LTO nagpaalala vs. pagpapasakay ng bata sa overloaded tricycles</a></div>“Kapag overloaded ang mga sasakyang pampubliko, naco-compromise ito. It&#x27;s no longer convenient because siksikan na and it&#x27;s no longer safe dahil kapag overloaded, maaring maging dahilan ng aksidente,” LTFRB spokesperson Ariel Inton explained.(When a public utility vehicle is overloaded, it becomes compromised. It&#x27;s no longer convenient or safe)For daily commuter Pedro Nabas, who takes a jeep from Antipolo to Cubao, the situation underscores a more basic problem.“Para sa akin ho sir e dagdagan nila iyong mga sasakyan. Sa rush hour lang naman iyong problema diyan. Punuan po talaga. Siksikan talaga kasi nagmamadali umuwi,” Nabas said.(For me, there should be more public transport on the road. The problem only happnes during rush hour. Vehicles are overloaded because everyone is trying to get home)<div>TRANSPORT ADVOCATES: FINES DON&#x27;T ADDRESS PROBLEM</div>Transport advocate group Move as One Coalition, however, criticized the LTFRB and LTO’s plan, arguing that fines and franchise revocations for PUV operators who exceed capacity would do little to solve the deeper crisis.“Such punitive measures will only add to the hardships of commuters and PUV operators and even worsen PUV overloading, which may put commuter safety at risk,” the group said in a statement Wednesday.They said the root cause of overloading is a &quot;chronic undersupply of PUVs, which has resulted from LTFRB’s own restrictive policies from 1994 to 2017.&quot;<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/10/10/19/transport-chief-declines-public-transport-challenge-says-theres-no-crisis-yet">Transport chief declines &#x27;public transport challenge,&#x27; says there&#x27;s no crisis yet</a></div>The group urged regulators to lift moratoriums on franchises, particularly on high-demand routes, and to study actual commuter data closely so that more franchises can be granted, ultimately increasing the number of vehicles serving the public.

To address overloading, the Land Transportation Office and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board are intensifying their crackdown through a reinforced anti-overloading policy.

To address overloading, the Land Transportation Office and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board are intensifying their crackdown through a reinforced anti-overloading policy.

LTO, LTFRB to crack down on overloaded public transport

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LTO, LTFRB to crack down on overloaded public transport

Francis Orcio,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 09, 2025 08:56 PM PHT

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Updated July 10, 2025 09:23 AM PHT

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