A total of 262 trucks were apprehended for using worn-out tires and for other road safety violations as the Land Transportation Office (LTO) stepped up the operations against unsafe trucks on the roads.
LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said the apprehensions were conducted since December last year after the fatal Katipunan flyover accident wherein a truck rammed several motor vehicles and left at least four people dead and more than 24 others injured.
The LTO earlier intensified the visibility of its enforcers in Metro Manila and other parts of the country, particularly the regular routes of delivery trucks, which is part of the road safety campaign of DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista.
The intensified visibility includes the policy of deploying LTO enforcers between nighttime and early morning, the time period when truck ban is usually lifted especially in urban areas.
“We have already issued show cause orders for almost half of them and we will issue more SCOs to cover the rest of those apprehended. The SCOs include both the driver and registered owner of these delinquent trucks,” said Mendoza.
During the operations since December last year, most of the violations of the apprehended trucks were overloading and for using worn-out tires.
Mendoza said overloading and using worn-out tires are very dangerous and put the lives of all road users at risk.
“We will continue monitoring the compliance of truck owners and drivers on road safety. Kaya sa mga driver at may-air ng mga pasaway na truck na ito, huwag na ninyong hintayin na mahuli dahil tiyak na patong-patong na problema ang kakaharapin ninyo,” said Mendoza.