The Correct Tricycle Fares In Our City

Tricycle Terminal

My blog about the granting of senior citizen’s discount on tricycle fare received many responses when I posted a link to it in my Facebook Timeline and Groups. Most of the comments I received concerns the non-granting of discounts to senior citizens and students plus overcharging by the drivers despite having the authorized tricycle fare rate matrix (“Taripa” in local parlance) in each unit plying our city streets. On the issue of overcharging, I wish to present an easily understandable way of computing the right tricycle fare in this article.

The following discussions on the rates and amounts that passengers should pay when riding tricycles in our city are based exclusively on the Taripa (see the attached image) issued by City Transportation Management & Development Office (CTMDO) in accordance with Marikina City Ordinance No. 011, Series of 2013.

The city ordinance does not have a section on the definition of terms so I just take Items 1 and 2 in the Taripa to mean as Minimum Fare per passenger at ₱9.00 for the first kilometer and the additional ₱1.00 per succeeding kilometer which are chargeable only when someone takes the ride anywhere within the authorized zone but not on a designated tricycle terminal. There should be no conflict on charging the regular fare if the trip is within the designated zone of the tricycle. However, if the destination of a passenger is outside the designated zone, conflict may arise. In such a case, it can be considered and charged as Special Trip but this is not covered in the ordinance.

Item 3 in the Taripa covers the Special Trip (From Terminal Only) with one (1) or two (2) Passengers for the first kilometer costs ₱20.00 and the ordinance did not say if Item 2 will apply after the first kilometer. So, for the purpose of computing the fares on Special Trip covering a distance of more than one (1) kilometer, I assume that the ₱1.00 per passenger will apply; however, for the sake of fairness, the fare for two (2) passengers is charged even if the passenger is alone in the trip. This means, the distance in excess of the minimum one (1) kilometer in a Special Trip will be charged at ₱2.00 per kilometer.

Below is my calculations of the various tricycle fares on Special Trips using the Taripa and the assumptions stated above:

Tricycle Fares

In the responses I got in my posts at Facebook, fares being demanded by tricycle drivers go as high as ₱50.00 for a single passenger on a Special Trip. That is absolutely a case of overcharging which according to the ordinance is punishable by ₱1,000.00 fine. Had anyone tried to bring up a case of overcharging to CTMDO? Don’t look at me, I always get to pay the correct discounted Senior Citizen’s fare whenever I rode a tricycle.

In my next blog, wait for my suggestion on how to know the distance you will travel when riding a tricycle in our city. This is very important for us to know how much to pay the drivers of the tricycle we ride. I shall also include in the discussion various matters that I would like to bring to the attention of CTMDO. Watch for it.

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