Proceedings of EASTS

Study on the Operational Characteristics of Motorcycle Taxis in Metro Manila

--Manuscript Draft--

Manuscript Number:

Article Type: Reviewed Paper

Full Title: Study on the Operational Characteristics of Motorcycle Taxis in Metro Manila

First Author: Glenn Simon Dayrit Latonero

Order of Authors: Glenn Simon Dayrit Latonero

Raniel Abraham Mangco

Justy Lucille Montiveros

Sahid Kamid

Jose Regin Regidor

Abstract: During the 1990s, motorcycle taxis have emerged as an alternative mode of
transportation in the Philippines. Unfortunately, there are still no policies, local or
national, that regulate their operation. As such, rising concerns pertaining to usage,
operation, safety and even legal matters have also been evident. From which, this
study was conducted to identify the usage and operational characteristics of
conventional motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila to come up with policy recommendations
regarding their operations. The data is comprised by variables such as basic
information of the respondents, terminal characteristics, operational characteristics,
fare and route characteristics, and also safety and legal concerns. The research
identified at least eight informal taxi terminals. However, the authors focused only on
four terminals: Guadalupe, Bicutan, Sucat and Napindan as these are the locations
with the highest number of interviewees. Regulation of the mode is thereby
recommended to address safety concerns, among many other things.

Manuscript Classifications: 200.28: Motorcycle, Motor Scooter, Motorbike Ownership and Use in South East Asia
Cities; 200.34: Motorcycle Traffic and Safety

Keywords: Motorcycle Taxis, Public Transport, Operating Characteristics

Additional Information:

Question Response

Presenter Glenn Simon D. Latonero

Presenter Name

Date of Birth 11-30-1977

[EASTS Membership] I hold a Regular Member ID Currently.

Regular Member ID Information

Note: If you do not hold a (updated)

Regular Member ID, you will not be able
to present at the conference 2019.

[EASTS Membership] Philippines

EASTS Domestic Society

[EASTS Membership] Menbeship ID ph-17-17-0200

Conference Program Preference Oral presentation

Presentation Category

IRG(International Research

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1 Study on the Operational Characteristics of Motorcycle Taxis in Metro

2 Manila
3
4 Raniel Abraham A. MANGCO a , Justy Lucille T. MONTIVEROS b , Glenn Simon
5 LATONERO c, Sahid A. KAMID d Jose Regin F. REGIDOR e
6
7 a, b, e
Institute of Civil Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon
8 City, 1101, Philippines;
9 a
E-mail: ranielaamangco@yahoo.com.ph
10 b
E-mail: jajamontiveros@yahoo.com
11 c, d
National Center for Transportation Studies, University of the Philippines,
12 Diliman, Quezon City, 1101, Philippines
13 c
E-mail: gdlatonero@up.edu.ph
14 d
E-mail: sakamid@up.edu.ph
15 e
E-mail: jfregidor@up.edu.ph
16
17
18 Abstract: During the 1990s, motorcycle taxis have emerged as an alternative mode of
19 transportation in the Philippines. Unfortunately, there are still no policies, local or national,
20 that regulate their operation. As such, rising concerns pertaining to usage, operation, safety
21 and even legal matters have also been evident. From which, this study was conducted to
22 identify the usage and operational characteristics of conventional motorcycle taxis in Metro
23 Manila to come up with policy recommendations regarding their operations. The data is
24 comprised by variables such as basic information of the respondents, terminal characteristics,
25 operational characteristics, fare and route characteristics, and also safety and legal concerns.
26 The research identified at least eight informal taxi terminals. However, the authors focused
27 only on four terminals: Guadalupe, Bicutan, Sucat and Napindan as these are the locations
28 with the highest number of interviewees. Regulation of the mode is thereby recommended to
29 address safety concerns, among many other things.
30
31 Keywords: Motorcycle Taxis, Public Transport, Operating Characteristics
32
33
34 1. INTRODUCTION
35
36 The use of motorcycles as a mode of transportation is common in both urban and rural areas
37 of the Philippines. Motorcycles are popular in urban areas because they can maneuver through
38 traffic congestion and they are widespread in rural areas since they are able to traverse some
39 terrains that are not passable to three or four-wheeled vehicles. As of 2016, there are a total of
40 5,321,523 motorcycles in the Philippines and 949,286 or 17.8% of them are in Metro Manila
41 (LTO, 2017).
42 Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code classify motorcycles as
43 private vehicles and it stated that motorcycles “shall not be used for hire under any
44 circumstance”. Still, their operations are still being tolerated especially in areas where there
45 are no other available modes of transportation.
46 There are two types of motorcycle taxis in the Philippines: conventional and
47 non-conventional. The conventional motorcycle taxis are usually operated by the motorcycle
48 owners themselves and they may or may not use a self-designated terminal. On the other hand,
49 the non-conventional motorcycle taxis are mobile application-based and act as another form
50 of Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVs). But, according to the Department Order No.
51 2015-011, Transport Network Companies (TNCs) are only allowed to use sedans, Asian
52 utility vehicles, sport utility vehicles and vans. Some of the non-conventional motorcycle taxi
53 services in the Philippines were Angkas, GrabBike and GoRide. All non-conventional
54 motorcycle taxi operations in the Philippines have been suspended by the Land Transportation
55 Franchise Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and some of them are now used as courier service.
56 Angkas was the last to be taken down and it caused negative reactions from users not only in
57 Metro Manila, but in other metropolitan cities as well.
58

59 Figure 1. Motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila (Conventional)

60
61

62 Figure 2. Motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila (Non-Conventional)

63
64 1.2 Literature Review
65
66 According to a study by Guillen and Ishida (2003), motorcycle taxis in the Philippines started
67 from “trisikads” or “pedicabs”. Pedicabs are bicycles fitted with sidecars and in the late 50s,
68 they evolved into tricycles, which uses motorcycles instead of bicycles. Even though tricycles
69 are still present today, a new form of transportation evolved from them in 1999: the
70 motorcycle taxis or “habal-habal”. Motorcycle taxis started in areas where there is no other
71 available mode of transportation or where the terrain prohibits other transportation mode.
72 Initially, the motorcycle taxis were just a regular motorcycle; however, in some rural areas, a
73 new form of this service emerged: the “skylab”. A “skylab” is type of motorcycle taxi in
74 which wooden extensions were attached to accommodate 4 to 6 more persons.
75 Furthermore, even before motorcycle taxis emerged in the Philippines, this mode of
76 transportation was already present in other neighboring countries. This includes the
77 motorcycle taxis in Thailand, “xenom” in Vietnam and the “ojek” in Indonesia. In 2005,
 78 Thailand became the first country to regulate motorcycle taxi operations. In the Philippines,
79 motorcycle taxis or “habal-habal” started as an alternative mode of transportation in areas
80 where there are no other available modes of transportation due to insufficient infrastructure.
81 Now, the popularity of this service spilled over to urban areas because of the poor state of our
82 public transportation and also traffic congestion.
83
84 1.3 Objectives
85
86 This study aimed to:
87 a. To determine the usage and operational characteristics of motorcycle taxis in Metro
88 Manila;
89 b. To identify the service perception of users and nonusers regarding motorcycle taxis;
90 c. To provide recommendations on policies once the government decides to formalize
91 this mode of transportation.
92
93 1.4 Significance of the Study
94
95 The results of this study will be helpful in the formulation of policies that will regulate
96 motorcycle taxi operations. There are very few available studies of motorcycle taxis in the
97 Philippines and often, they are limited to rural setting. It is necessary to study their usage and
98 operational characteristics to understand why passengers use it and why they choose it over
99 than other available modes of transportation. By regulating motorcycle taxis, the safety of the
100 users can be improved, and the drivers’ operational efficiency may be increased as well.
101
102 1.5 Framework
103
104 The conceptual framework for this research is shown in Figure 3. The framework focuses on
105 the characteristics of motorcycle taxis including operations and service perceptions.
106

107
108 Figure 3. Conceptual Framework of the Study
109
110 Three set of questionnaires were created with questions specifically for the
111 characteristics of drivers, users and non-users. These questions will determine the usage
112 characteristics of users, the service perceptions of users and non-users, and the operational
113 characteristics of the drivers. From these, the characteristics of motorcycle taxis were
114 determined, and policies may be formulated.
115 2. DATA COLLECTION
116
117 2.1 Terminals
118
119 The terminal or areas where motorcycle taxis congregate were identified based on ocular
120 inspection. The identified terminals were in Guadalupe, Sucat, Bicutan, Napindan, Balara,
121 Gate 3 Bonifacio, Villamor, and Merville.
122

Balara,
Quezon City
City

Guadalupe,
Makati
City
Bonifacio,
Taguig City
Napindan/
Nichols,
Taguig City
Pasay City

Merville
Paranaque City
City Lower Bicutan,
Taguig City

Sucat,
Parañaque City
123
124 Figure 4. Locations of the Identified Terminals in Metro Manila
125
126 Surveys were conducted in three terminals only - Guadalupe, Sucat, Bicutan and
127 Napindan as these are the locations with the highest number of interviewers. Figure 5 shows
128 the locations of the three study areas in Metro Manila.
129
 Guadalupe,
Makati
City

Napindan/
Lower Bicutan,
Taguig City

Sucat,
Parañaque City
130
131 Figure 5. Study areas
132
133 2.2 Questionnaires
134
135 Three different questionnaires were created, one for the drivers of motorcycle taxis, one for
136 the users, and one for non-users. For the drivers, the questionnaire consisted of questions
137 about their basic information including license and motorcycle information, and if they have
138 an operator, terminal characteristics, operational characteristics, fare and route characteristics,
139 as well as safety and legal concerns.
140 For the users and non-users, both groups were asked about their basic information,
141 including their salary per month and if they their own vehicles, and about their perceptions of
142 motorcycle taxis services. Only the users were asked about their perceptions of motorcycle
143 taxi drivers. The users were also asked about the characteristics of the fares, such as their
144 usual fare, the routes and their safety concerns. Both groups, users and non-users, were asked
145 about their knowledge of the legality of motorcycle taxi operations and the change in their
146 commuting behavior if the services are to be regulated or legalized.
147
148
149 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
150
151 3.1 Terminals and Profiles of the Respondents (Users, Non-Users and Drivers)
152
153 From the eight terminals surveyed, three (3) areas were selected for analysis due to number of
154 respondents’ reason. The said terminals are 1) Guadalupe in Mandaluyong City, 2) Sucat in
155 Paranaque City, and 3) Lower Bicutan/Napindan in Taguig City. The drivers that occupy the
156 terminal in Napindan also use a terminal in Lower Bicutan, therefore these 2 terminals were
157 considered as 1. Table 1 shows the distribution of the interviewed users, non-users, and
158 drivers.
159
160 Table 1. Distribution of respondents per terminal
Terminal User Non-users Driver
1. Guadalupe 15 58 27
2. Napindan/Lower Bicutan 60 13 26
3. Sucat 1 2 20
4. Balara 0 0 2
5. Bicutan 13 24 0
6. BGC Gate 3 1 0 1
7. Villamor 0 0 1
8. Merville 1 0 1
9. Online/UP* 5 24 0
TOTAL 96 121 78
161
162 The male and female users are comprised of 45.8% and 54.2% respectively. The
163 non-users are of 44.6% (male) and 55.4% (female) composition. Drivers on the other hand are
164 mostly males (96.2%). In terms of age, 46.9% of the users and 53.7% of the non-users are
165 between 20 to 29 years old. Most of the drivers are within 30 to 39 age range.
166

Figure 6. Users’ Gender Distribution Figure 7. Users’ Age Distribution

167
168 By employment status (Fig. 8), majority of the users (63.5%) are private company
169 workers. Students shared 13.5 percent. Figure 9 shows the salary ranges of the users - Php
170 10,000 to Php 20,000 (31.3%), Php 20,001 to Php 30,000 (25%), and less than Php 10,000
171 (16.7%).
172
 Figure 8. Employment Status of Users and Figure 9. Monthly Income of Users and
Non-users Non-users
173
174 3.2 Usage Characteristics
175
176 3.2.1 Guadalupe
177 In Guadalupe, majority of the users (86%) are private company employees (Fig. 10), largely
178 call center agents. Seventy four percent (74%) of them (Fig. 11) earn more than Php 40,000
179 per month.
180

Figure 10. Employment Category of Figure 11. Distribution of the

Users in Guadalupe Salaries of Users in Guadalupe

181
182 In terms of frequency, 20% of the users interviewed in Guadalupe use motorcycle taxis
183 every day, while 27% of them do once a week (Fig. 12).
184
185 Figure 12. Distribution of Frequency of Use of the Users in Guadalupe
186
187 On trip purpose, more than 90% (Fig. 13) of the respondents in the area use the mode to
188 go to their work places. Most of them (Fig. 14) spend from Php 50 to Php 100 as fare.
189

Figure 13. Trip Purpose of the Users in Figure 14. Usual Amount of the Fares of
Guadalupe the Passengers in Guadalupe
190
191 3.2.2 Sucat
192 Only 1 user was interviewed in Sucat due to time constraints. She works in a private company,
193 with monthly salary that is between Php10,000 – Php20,000.
194
195 3.2.3 Napindan
196 Most (66%) of the users in Napindan are private company employees (Fig. 15). Thirty five
197 percent (35%) of them earn Php 10,000 - Php 20,000 (Fig. 16).
198

Figure 15. Employment Category of Users in Figure 16. Distribution of the Salaries of
Napindan the Users in Napindan
199
200 On frequency of use, 53% of the users in Napindan use the service daily (Fig. 17).
201 Those who use the mode once a week are about 10% in share.
202

Figure 17. Distribution of Frequency of Figure 18. Purpose of Trips of the Users in
Use of the Users in Napindan Napindan
203
204 In this terminal, most of the users surveyed use the mode to go home (Fig. 18). Almost
205 50% of them indicated that they spend less than Php 50 (Fig. 19) for a single trip.

206
207 Figure 19. Usual Amount of the Fares of the Passengers
208
209 3.3 Terminal Characteristics
210
211 Some congregations of the motorcycle taxis have organizations that keep track of the drivers
212 using their self – designated terminal. These organizations may allow or not allow drivers
213 from using the terminal therefore they may collect some fees.
214
215 3.3.1 Guadalupe
216 The drivers were asked to determine how many of them use the terminal. Most of them (56%)
217 agreed that there are at least 31 to 40 of them using Guadalupe terminal. Some said, there are
218 about 41-50 (18%) drivers using the said terminal.
219
220
221 Figure 20. Number of Drivers Using Terminal in Guadalupe
222
223 The drivers' answers regarding the nature of payment to their "organization" are also
224 varied (Fig. 21 and 22). Apparently, there are fees to be paid in using the terminal, as well as
225 in joining the drivers' informal organization.
226

Figure 21. Payment for Joining the Figure 22. Payment for Using the Terminal in
Organization in Guadalupe Guadalupe
227
228 3.3.2 Sucat
229 Sucat is similar to Guadalupe terminal regarding the drivers' knowledge of their probable
230 number; most of them answered 21 to 30 (Fig. 23). No cost indicated when it comes to
231 joining (No Cost = 95%) the organization and using the terminal (No Cost = 80%) in Sucat
232 (Fig. 24 and 25).
233

Figure 23. Number of Drivers Using Figure 24. Payment for Joining the
Terminal in Sucat Organization in Sucat
234
235 Figure 25. Payment for Using the Terminal in Sucat
236
237 3.3.3 Napindan
238 The survey turnout in Napindan was poor as only one out of 26 drivers responded to the
239 number of drivers (11 to 20) question item. In Napindan, a one-time fee is required to join the
240 organization, while using the terminal fee (PhP 20) is on a daily basis (Fig. 26 and 27).
241

Figure 26. Payment for Joining the Figure 27. Payment for Using the Terminal
Organization in Napindan in Napindan
242
243 3.4 Operational Characteristics
244
245 3.4.1 Income
246 The Net income is computed using the daily income of the drivers, the number of days per
247 week they spent, as well as their daily gas expenditures, and monthly maintenance
248 expenditures. Table 2 shows the daily income distribution of the drivers in Guadalupe, Sucat
249 and Napindan, in terms of maximum range and share.
250
Table 2. Daily income of drivers per terminal

Terminal Daily Income of Drivers

Maximum Range Share (%)
Guadalupe (n=27) Php 1501 – 2000 52%
Sucat (n=20) Php 0 - 500 70%
Napindan (n=26) Php 0 - 500 50%
251
252 Slightly more than half of the drivers in Guadalupe earn between Php 1501 and Php
253 2000, while those in Sucat (70%) and Napindan (50%) are within the range Php 0 - 500.
254 On daily gas expenditures and monthly maintenance cost (Fig. 28 and 29), most drivers
255 indicated that they do spend between Php 101 and Php 200. Their maintenance cost is less
256 than Php 1,000 per month.
257

Figure 28. Daily Gas Expenses of the Figure 29. Monthly Maintenance Expenses
Drivers in the Studied Terminals of the Drivers in the Studied Terminals

258
259 The drivers' monthly gross income is computed by multiplying their daily earnings by the
260 number of days per week they worked then by 4, assuming that a month is consists of 4
261 weeks.
262
263 Table 3. Daily Income Sample of the Driver
Daily income Number of days per week
Php 550 4 days
264
265 For the expenses, the daily gas cost and monthly maintenance incurred by the drivers are
266 expressed in range - minimum, average, and maximum (Table 4).
267
268 Table 4. Daily Gas Expenditure Sample of the Driver
Expenditures Sample Cost (Php) Min (Php) Ave Php Max Php

Daily Gas Expenditures 201 – 300 200 250 300

Monthly Maintenance Costs Less than 1000 0 500 1000

269
270 The gas expenditures are also multiplied by the number of days per week worked and
271 the number of weeks per month, 4, to convert it to monthly, hence:
272
273 Monthly Gas expenditures, min = 200*4*4=PhP 3,200
274
275 After the income and expenses are converted to a monthly rate, the net income per
276 month can now be computed.
277 Net Income = Gross Income – Gas Epenses – Maintenance expenses (2)
278 Monthly Net Income, min = 8,800 – 3,200 – 0 = PhP 5,600
279 Monthly Net Income, ave = 8,800 – 4,000 – 500 = PhP 4,300
280 Monthly Net Income, max = 8,800 – 4,800 – 1000 = PhP 3,000
281
282 After computing the net monthly income of the drivers, the distribution of the average
283 income using average expenses is shown below in Figure 30.
284
285
286 Figure 30. Net Income Distribution of the Drivers Using Average Expenses
287
288 The average income using the expenses expressed in range is tabulated in Table 5. The
289 drivers in Guadalupe have the higher monthly net income than the drivers in the other two
290 terminals. The comparison goes the same using minimum, average, and minimum expenses
291 range.
292
293 Table 5. Average Income the Drivers Using Minimum, Average, and Maximum Expenses
Income
Expenses Guadalupe Sucat Napindan
Minimum expenses Php 19,200.00 Php 7,550.00 Php 14,120.00
Average expenses Php 17,630.77 Php 6,070.00 Php 12,280.00
Maximum Expenses Php 16,061.54 Php 4,590.00 Php 10,440.00
294
295
296 3.4.2 Operation
297 Figure 31 shows that most of the drivers work from 3-6 (29%) and 6-12 hours (31%).
298 Most (51.9%) of the drivers in Guadalupe get 9 to 12 trips per day. Napindan, although
299 with smaller number of drivers, responded that they get more than 15 trips per day. Drivers in
300 Sucat get only 7 – 9 trips per day (Fig. 32).
301

302
303 Figure 31. Distribution of Operating Hours per Day of the Drivers
304
305
306 Figure 32. Number of Trips per Day of the Drivers per Terminal
307
308 3.5 Fare and Route Characteristics / Other Modes Available
309
310 3.5.1 Lowest Fare
311 Majority of drivers in all three terminals set the fare below Php 50, while it is from Php 50 to
312 Php 100 in Guadalupe (Fig. 33).

313
314 Figure 33. Lowest Fare in Guadalupe and Those in Other Terminals
315
316 3.5.2 Other Modes of Transportation Present in the Area
317 The drivers were asked about the presence of other modes of transportation in their usual
318 routes. They revealed that their motorcycle taxis compete with the other public transport
319 modes of transportation in their areas of operation or at least, along the routes they usually
320 traverse. Jeepneys, buses, train and FX/UV Express are among the said competition modes.
321
322 3.6 User and Non-User Service Perceptions
323
324 The service perceptions of users and non-users regarding motorcycle taxis were asked to
325 better understand their choice, expressed in terms of how they agree and disagree (1 to 5 with
326 1 being “Strongly Disagree” and 5 being “Strongly Agree”) on the ten (10) characteristics of
327 the mode as shown in Table 6 and Table 7. The cells in dark blue highlight show the
328 characteristics of motorcycle taxis with the highest percent choice depending on their ratings.
329 The users indicated that they strongly agree on the characteristics "Short waiting time",
330 "Accessible", "Faster travel time", and "9. Point to point" (Table 6).
331
332 Table 6. Users’ Perception of the Characteristics of Motorcycle Taxis
Strongly Strongly No
Characteristics Agree Neutral Disagree
Agree Disagree Answer
1. Cheap 3.1 13.5 74.0 8.3 1.0 0.0
2. Safe 1.0 26.0 67.7 4.2 1.0 0.0
3. Short waiting time 50.0 41.7 7.3 0.0 0.0 1.0
4. Accessible 49.0 39.6 5.2 5.2 0.0 1.0
5. Better than other alternative 18.8 27.1 49.0 2.1 1.0 2.1
6. Variable fare 1.0 7.3 58.3 30.2 1.0 2.1
7. Faster travel time 49.0 40.6 9.4 0.0 0.0 1.0
8. Environment friendly 1.0 6.3 72.9 17.7 0.0 2.1
9. Point to point 51.0 33.3 13.5 1.0 0.0 1.0
10. Comfortable 5.2 24.0 68.8 1.0 1.0 0.0
333
334 The perceptions of the non-users are obviously different from the users of motorcycle
335 taxis. They are mostly on neutral grounds when it comes to "Cheap", "Safe", "Short waiting
336 time", "Accessible", "Better than other alternative", and "Variable fare". They do agree on
337 “Environment friendly”, while disagree on the item "Faster travel time" (Table 7).
338
339 Table 7. Non-Users’ perception of the Characteristics of Motorcycle Taxis
Strongly Strongly No
Characteristics Agree Neutral Disagree
Agree Disagree Answer
1. Cheap 1.7 31.4 49.6 10.7 4.1 2.5
2. Safe 4.1 43.0 43.0 5.8 3.3 0.8
3. Short waiting time 0.8 5.0 38.0 35.5 18.2 2.5
4. Accessible 1.7 14.9 38.0 23.1 15.7 6.6
5.Better than other alternative 0.0 15.7 48.8 19.8 11.6 4.1
6. Variable fare 3.3 33.9 38.8 17.4 1.7 5.0
7. Faster travel time 0.0 3.3 31.4 32.2 28.1 5.0
8. Environment friendly 2.5 46.3 39.7 8.3 0.8 2.5
9. Point to point 0.0 9.1 33.1 26.4 28.9 2.5
10. Comfortable 0.8 40.5 45.5 8.3 0.8 4.1
340
341 The users were also asked to rate from 1 to 5 (with 1 being “Strongly Disagree” and 5
342 being “Strongly Agree”) the taxi drivers based on seven (7) characteristics as listed in Table 8.
343 The users "Agree" on "Respectful", "Follows traffic rules", and "Passes through narrow
344 roads", while they are somewhat "Neutral" on "Drives properly", "Drives fast", "Gives
345 reasonable fare", and "Flexible".
346
347 Table 8. Users’ Perception of the Behaviours of Motorcycle Taxi Drivers
Strongly Strongly No
Characteristic Agree Neutral Disagree
Agree Disagree answer
1. Respectful 15.6 42.7 41.7 0 0 0
2. Follows traffic rules 12.5 43.8 41.7 2.1 0 0
3. Drives properly 12.5 34.4 47.9 0 1 4.2
4. Passes through narrow roads 3.1 41.7 40.6 12.5 2.1 0
 Strongly Strongly No
Characteristic Agree Neutral Disagree
Agree Disagree answer
5. Drives fast 4.2 28.1 63.5 3.1 1 0
6. Gives reasonable fare 2.1 10.4 81.3 4.2 0 2.1
7. Flexible 4.2 21.9 66.7 5.2 1 1
348
349
350 3.7 Safety Concerns
351
352 3.7.1 Accident and Hospitalization
353 One of the major factors being considered on the regulation of motorcycle taxis is the users
354 and passengers' safety. The same reason is indicated by the non-users why they opt not to use
355 motorcycle taxis (Fig. 34).
356

357
358 Figure 34. Non-users Reasons for Not Using Motorcycle Taxi
359
360 Of the interviewed users and drivers, 6 out of 96 (6.3%) users and 14 out of 78 (17.9%)
361 drivers said that they have been on an accident. Crucially, most of the accidents that occurred
362 resulted in the hospitalization of the passengers. Although the drivers said they contributed to
363 the users' hospital expenses, there is no guarantee that the same will happen in the future
364 accidents as there is no law that will compel them to.
365
366 3.7.2 Available Safety Paraphernalia
367 Furthermore, the users were asked about the safety paraphernalia of motorcycle taxis, which
368 includes basic safety gears and items for weather protection. Figure 35 shows that plate
369 number (90%), passenger handle (91%), foot rest (94%), raincoat (65%), face mask (3%), and
370 helmet (91%) are always available.
371
372
373 Figure 35. Availability of Safety Paraphernalia for Passengers
374
375 3.7.3 Traffic Violations of Drivers
376 Fifty percent (50%) or 39 out of 78 of the drivers have been arrested or fined by the police
377 because of the reasons illustrated in Figure 36. Notably, 38.4% of them were arrested or fined
378 for being "motorcycle taxis" and not by disobeying any traffic rules.
379
380

381
382 Figure 36 Reasons Why the Drivers Were Arrested/Fined by the Police
383
384
385 3.8 Legal Issues
386
387 On legality, 90.6% of the users and 71.9% of the non-users are aware that motorcycle taxis are
388 illegal, as shown in Figures 37a and 37b. Interestingly, the users are well aware that the
389 service is illegal, yet they still use it.
390

391
392 Figure 37a and 37b Awareness of the Legality of Motorcycle Taxis
393
394 When non-users asked if they will consider using motorcycle taxis in the future, about
395 70% of them said they would if the operation will be regulated, while 76% expressed the
396 same if Grab will offer similar service (Fig. 3.8a and 3.8b).
397

398
399 Figure 38a and 3.8b. Possible Non-users Who Will Consider Using Motorcycle Taxis
400
401
402 4. CONCLUSION
403
404 Motorcycle Taxis have proliferated in Metro Manila. There are already 11 identified terminals
405 in Mandaluyong city, Pasay city, Taguig city, and Paranaque city. Although their operations
406 have grown, there are still insufficient studies regarding motorcycle taxis. Usage and
407 operational characteristics were determined in this study, as well as the perceptions of both
408 users and non-users. Because of their illegality, drivers are hesitant to be interviewed, and
409 consequently to be studied. Plans to deploy surveyors on some terminals were scrapped
410 because of the rudeness of the drivers, so new terminals were searched. It was also hard to
411 interview passengers on site because they are always in a hurry. Due to this, only 96 users
412 were interviewed.
413 Based on the sites in Guadalupe and Napindan, there is a demand for motorcycle taxis
414 and they mostly served the area adjacent to them, be it a business area or residential area. Also,
415 people can make a living from operating as motorcycle taxis with some earning higher than
416 the NCR non-agricultural minimum wage. Based on the findings of this study, the legalization
417 and regulation of motorcycle taxis may be recommended.
418
419
420 5. RECOMMENDATIONS
421
422 5.1 Recommended Policies
423
424 Countries like Vietnam and Thailand have regulated motorcycle taxis (Guillen, 2003).Some
425 policies which were implemented in Thailand include setting the fare to 25 Baht for the first 2
426 kilometers and 5 Baht/km for the next 5 kilometers, providing specific license plates for
427 motorcycle taxis and assigning colored jackets/vests to drivers as shown in Figure 5.1.
428

Figure 39. Motorcycle Taxi Drivers in Thailand

429
430 Handles and helmets should also be provided for the passengers. The motorcycle taxi
431 drivers in Thailand are also required to register every 3 years and by not doing so, their license
432 could be cancelled.
433 Some recommended policies for the regulation of motorcycle taxi operations in Metro
434 Manila include:
435 • Assigning formal terminals
436 • Identifying the boundary and route of a terminal
437 • Providing fare matrix
438 • Limiting the number of passengers to one
439 • Providing insurance for passengers in case of accidents
440 • Requiring the drivers to provide safety paraphernalia (at least helmet and/or raincoat
441 when raining) for every passenger
442 • Providing an identifier to distinguish motorcycle taxis from private motorcycles i.e.
443 color-coded jackets or helmets
444
445 These policies may be introduced by the national government through the Department
446 of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board
447 (LTFRB) while being recognized by the local government units.
448
449 5.2 Further Studies
450
451 There are other terminals that were identified in this research that were not properly studied.
452 Those terminals are in Bicutan, Merville, Villamor, Bonifacio, Sta. Lucia and White Plains.
453 Future researches may also focus on a single terminal to study and determine the
454 origin-destination of trips, the routes taken by the drivers and the corresponding fare. Studies
455 on single terminals or areas can be consolidated to further validate operational characteristics
456 and provide basis for proper regulation in order to ensure safety and establish suitable fare
457 structures. Future research can also be made to explore the informal non-conventional
458 motorcycle taxis that use Facebook groups instead of applications.
459
460
461 REFERENCES
462
463 Department of Labor and Employment, 2017. Wage Order No.NCR-21. Providing For A
464 Wage Increase In The National Capital Region
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467 Department of Transportation and Communications, 1997. Department Order No.
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