Rude and Reckless Taxi Drivers? LTFRB's Citizen Enforcer is Just a Complaint Away

Let's face it, not a lot of taxi drivers in the Philippines will win a 'Mr. Congeniality' or 'Mr. Responsible' driver award anytime soon. In fact, a survey made by Spot.ph  showed that of the 53,016 readers who participated in its survey, only a meager 0.3% (153 votes) of the respondents think that taxi drivers offer a more "adequate, safe, convenient, environment-friendly and dependable" service compared to a whopping 99.7% (52,863) votes to transport network services like Grab or the now-defunct Uber.

It’s time taxi drivers do something to change their public image. Dirty interiors, reckless driving, overpriced fares, and impolite drivers are just some of the most common passenger complaints we hear about them. And really--they all need to go.

The good news is that LTFRB Citizen Enforcer, the official LTFRB and DOTr Facebook page "for netizens to upload pictures & videos of praises and complaints against drivers & operators of taxis, jeeps, buses, UVs & other PUVs" is very active online. It's easy and convenient to use, and you don't need to go through red tape just to get their precious attention.  

Here's how you can send in your complaints:

1. Before anything else, it’s very important that you jot down the taxi's plate number right after the incident. And make sure to jot down the exact time, date, and place it all happened. Ideally, you should also make a mental note of the driver's name (found on the ID card hanging from the rear view mirror or dashboard), and the taxi operator's name (painted on both the inside and outside part of your car's door). That way, it’s easier to trace down the taxi driver to be apprehended.

2. Visit the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/ltfrb.citizen.enforcer/

3. Type in your message. No need to write a lengthy novel here; just put down the important facts and details pertaining to the incident itself. You can refer to the details given in number one here.  

4. Wait for their response. You'll receive a letter-template from their Public Assistance and Complaint Desk like this one:

5. Their office will give you two options to choose from: (1) attend a judicial hearing, or (2) let LTFRB send a reprimand letter to the operator informing them of their taxi driver’s misdeeds. If you choose the latter one, then they will give you this response:

6. They will also send you the exact copy of the reprimand letter that they'll be issuing to the taxi operator later on. It will have the department’s letterhead, and will be signed by their acting Officer-In-Charge (OIC) for Legal Division.

Reminders:

• Not all complaints will get a quick response from their assistance desk, so you may need to do some follow-ups here. Oftentimes, those that get their fastest responses involve serious misdeeds or legal violations from the taxi driver. Be patient with them--their hands are full most of the time.
• Another way to send your complaint is through their Viber account. Just call 0917-550-1342 or 0998-550-1342 and send them your message. You can also email them at complaint.ltfrb.gov.ph@gmail.com. If you’re more of a phone person, then you can just call them at (632)4592129 (they don't respond as fast as they do at Facebook, though).