The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is reminding motorcycle delivery partner-riders (who work for courier services like Lalamove, GrabFood, Foodpanda, Angkas, etc.) to not only register their top boxes but to also make sure that they possess a valid professional driver’s license. Securing these requirements will help them avoid any trouble on the road, which may include penalty of up to PhP5,000.
The reminder comes from an LTO memorandum dated March 15, 2016, entitled “Guidelines on inspection and apprehension relative to motorcycle top boxes and saddlebags.” The memo explains that a “top box is a storage compartment fitted behind the seat of a motorcycle or scooter and is considered a motorcycle accessory.”
Top box
The memo further adds that any top box that is specifically designed for motorcycles and scooters and is approved by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) no longer needs to be inspected or registered and cannot be apprehended. It simply needs to be securely attached to the motorcycle and have a maximum capacity of two full-face helmets.
That being said, any top box that does not conform to the guidelines above needs to be registered with the LTO.
These include, but are not limited to: custom-made hard top boxes like those used by fast-food delivery services and soft bag boxes like those used by today’s partner riders. To conform with the LTO’s guidelines, these top boxes must be 2 feet x 2 feet x 2 feet (length, width, height) in size, must be securely attached to the motorcycle, and must not impede or obstruct the view of the rider of the road from the side mirrors.
Custom-made top boxes that are not registered are subject to apprehension with a penalty of PhP5,000 pursuant to the Department of Transportation (DOTr, formerly DOTC) joint administrative order 2014-01 Sec. II-D.
Professional license
Additionally, on top of the aforementioned rule above, motorcycle riders who work as couriers must also possess a valid PROFESSIONAL driver’s license, since riding their motorcycles is their source of income.
Under Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Code, Article II Section 3 E, the law states that a “professional driver” shall mean every and any driver hired or paid for driving or operating a motor vehicle, whether for private use or for hire to the public (PUV).
Due to the ongoing pandemic, some courier services have relaxed their policies concerning the qualification of its partner-riders, particularly with the professional driver’s license requirement. They are advised, however, to immediately apply for a professional driver’s license once their nearest LTO office resumes operations.
Source: Sun Star Davao
