LTFRB denies Uber’s MR on agency order meting out one-month suspension on the TNC

(Eagle News) — The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board on Tuesday denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Uber on its one-month suspension.

In a two-and-a-half page order, the LTFRB said the transport network company had violated the agency’s July 26 order for it to cease and desist from accepting applications for accreditation of Transport Network Vehicle Services.

The July 26 order was issued after Uber and another TNC, Grab, were found to have committed violations after allowing the deployment of colorum vehicles on streets.

The LTFRB also ordered the two TNCs to pay a P5-million fine each.

In denying Uber’s MR filed on Aug. 15, the LTFRB denied the TNC’s argument that the term “‘active’ does not mean that a vehicle or driver can already take trips,” since it said “it merely means that documents have been submitted and evaluated.”

According to the LTFRB, the “mere acceptance, much less receipt and evaluation of documents submitted by applicants for accreditation is tantamount to a direct violation of the order dated July 26, 2017.”

“The board expressly directed that there shall be no acceptance of additional application for accreditation…,” the LTFRB said in the order signed by the agency’s Chair Martin Delgra, Board Members Aileen Lizada and  Ronaldo Corpuz, and attested to by Executive Director Augustine Vestil Jr.

As such, the LTFRB said that Uber “not only defied the terms and conditions of its certificate of accreditation, (but also clearly violated) the latest order of the board.”

“Wherefore, premises considered, the (MR) of the respondent (Uber) is denied..,” the LTFRB said.