The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will soon be implementing an electronic tagging scheme for buses and other public utility vehicles (PUVs) in Metro Manila.
MMDA’s Organized Bus Route department head Milagros Silvestre said they are eyeing full implementation of the scheme by April 2013. She explained that it would take more or less three months to install radio frequency identification devices (RFID) tags on all PUVs.
The electronic tagging was suggested by transport groups since it was more affordable than the original plan to paint-tag unregistered and out-of-line PUVs.
Paint-tagging would cost at least P3,000 for each bus while it would only cost them P350 to have an RFID chip installed on the vehicles. An RFID chip could remain active for 10 years or more.
The e-tags will help traffic enforcers identify unlicensed vehicles as well as those committing traffic violations.
Silvestre said the MMDA has given operators of PUVs to include buses, jeepneys, taxis and Asian Utility Vehicles (AUVs) from January 16 to April 15 to have their units tagged with the RFID chips.
The MMDAis planning to buy 60 handheld scanners and 26 fixed RFID tag readers that will be installed at strategic locations, the Philippine Star reported.
