The Congressional Bicameral Conference Committee adopted on Monday, Feb. 1, the mandatory installation of speed limiters in every public utility vehicle, excluding taxis, tricycles, and jeepneys.
Bill proponent Sen. JV Ejercito cited the swift passage of the Speed Limiter Bill (Senate Bill No. 2999), which he and his counterpart legislators from Congress crafted for the protection of passengers and pedestrians who get injured, or worse, killed by over-speeding vehicles.
“Fatal accidents that involved the Don Mariano, GV Florida, and Valisno buses prompted me to file this bill. This is our solution to eliminate killer buses,? said Ejercito.
?My proposed bill sought for the installation of speed limiters in public utility buses. In the Bicam however, we decided to adopt the House version of mandatory installation of speed limiters in every public utility vehicle, excluding taxi cabs, tricycles, and jeepneys for wider coverage. Only after a year of implementation will the Department of Transportation and Communication review whether taxis, tricycles, and jeepneys should also be installed with speed limiters,”
Ejercito said that the bicam also agreed on a P50,000 penalty for operators who failed to comply in the mandatory installation of speed limiters, and a suspension of the franchise until compliance of the installation.
With regard the prescribed speed limit, Ejercito said the bicameral panel resolved to leave the speed limit to the DOST, Land Transportation, Franchising, and Review Board, Land Transportation Office, the Department of Science and Technology, and Department of Trade and Industry for the bill’s Implementing Rules and Regulations.
