Government eyes e-bike regulation

MANILA, Philippines — After receiving complaints from motorists, the government

plans to regulate e-bikes and electric tricycles by banning these vehicles from major
thoroughfares in Metro Manila.

At a media briefing yesterday, acting Metropolitan Manila Development Authority

(MMDA) Chairman Romando Artes showed photos of e-bicycle and e-trike drivers
traversing the South Luzon Expressway and stopping in the middle of a yellow
intersection box.

Another photo showed an e-trike driver and his passengers wearing school uniforms,
which Artes presumed were elementary or high school students.

Traffic enforcers cannot apprehend e-bike and e-trike drivers as they are not
required to register their vehicles and secure a license to drive, Artes pointed out.

He said e-bike and e-trike users have grown “exponentially,” with the Caloocan City
government recording at least 18,000.

“This needs to be addressed immediately while e-bike and e-trike drivers have not
caused major accidents,” Artes said.

The government should require e-bikes and e-trikes to be registered and users must
apply for a driver’s license, Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza II
proposed.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is also

concerned about the growing number of e-bike and e-trike users.

These vehicles are obstructing the government’s goal of modernizing public transit
by competing with public utility vehicles that have been given franchises to operate,
according to LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III.

Recommendations on regulating e-bikes and e-trikes will be presented to the

Department of Transportation.

Artes met with DOTr, LTO and LTFRB officials as well as the traffic department
heads of 17 local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila to discuss measures that
would regulate e-bikes and e-trikes.

“We will take a second look at the suggestions of the LGUs to regulate the use of e-
bikes and e-trikes along major roads in the metropolis,” Mendoza said.