LTFRB accredits Filipino-owned ride-hailing firm, Hype

Three days after Uber’s exit from the country’s ride-hailing industry, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) accredited on Wednesday a Filipino-owned transport network company (TNC) that would rival the operations of Grab at a time when passenger complaints against it continue to mount.

The LTFRB accredited Hype, giving app-based drivers as well as commuters an alternative to Grab, and eliminating Grab’s “virtual monopoly” of the industry that apparently followed after its acquisition of its rival Uber last month.

LTFRB Chair Martin Delgra III noted, however, that it would be up to Hype and other TNCs they would later accredit how they would market themselves to lure drivers and commuters to their platforms.

Currently, the LTFRB implements a common supply base for app-based drivers. Unlike before, a driver can now drive for any of the existing accredited TNCs since the provisional authority or franchise to operate given to them is generic and does not bare the name of any of the TNCs.

Bu LTFRB board member Aileen Lizada said drivers would still need to obtain accreditation from their chosen TNC for accountability purposes.

To date, four more TNCs are awaiting to accrediation from the LTFRB, namely: Hirna, Go Lag, Micab, and Owto.

Delgra said they hope to accredit the other applicants once they have complied with the LTFRB’s requirements. For one, he said, these TNCs must show proof that they are able to accept responsibility and respond to passenger complaints.

Hype’s entry to the ride-hailing industry comes amid mounting complaints against Grab for its high fare and picky drivers.

Brian Cu, Grab’s country head, has nevertheless assured the public that apart from passenger complaints mechanisms, they have in place in their system the ability to detect and determine if a driver is deliberately forcing a rider to cancel a requested trip.

Cu said that once they verified that a driver forced a passenger to cancel a booking, the erring driver would be summoned to their office for investigation and may be suspended or removed from their platform. /kga