How's My Kariton? Call Hotline ...

I swear it's true!

You know those wooden karitons pushed along the bumpy roads of the metro by people collecting scrap metal, paper or other recyclables?

I saw this sign on a kariton:

Hows my kareton? Txt 091x-1234567

Heto pa isa:

info@www.botedyaryo.com.com

Funny ng mga Pinoy, 'neh?

But I've observed something else in the metro in the past few weeks. Almost all taxis, jeeps and buses in Manila have this sign on their back-ends:

How's my driving? Call/Txt LTFRB Hotline 0921-4487777

The sign also includes the contact number of the vehicle operator.

This move is all nice (intentionally frail adjective). It gives LTFRB an instant feedback system to protect commuters from erring drivers of public utility vehicles. But is there concrete action resulting from this hotline? Or is it just another way to put some money in some "enterprising" employees?

Some thoughts:

• I wonder what action LTFRB will do when they receive a report.
  
• How many reports do they get? Can they process all of these towards concrete apprehensions/penalties to the erring driver/operator?
  
• I recall reading about TXT-Usok - smoke-belching reporting via SMS. It required three five reports of the same vehicle before the gov't agency acted upon a smoke belcher. Even then, the smoke belcher had *three* chances to satisfactorily pass an emmissions test. So, all in all (i recall) the thousands of txt message reports resulted in only a handful of apprehensions. Is this the same fate of LTFRB's hotline? Let's see.
  
• At least LTFRB's is cheaper at 1peso than Txt-Usok's 2 to 2.50 pesos.
  
• Yun nga lang, reports to LTFRB's hotline will not be anonymous. The lack of anonimity could be good too because it makes people more responsible in reporting.
  
• I wonder when we'll have a "How's my driving" sign above red license plates.
  

In sum, technology is just an enabler. If the people behind the technology are not intent on achieving a desired impact, walang silbi ang kahit anumang ka-high-tech-an ek ek.

I'd love to hear any news regarding LTFRB's hotline and their actions and *outcomes*. Do share if you have info or comments.

Mabu-hey!

ka edong
(Re-typed this article because the previously written one evaporated while submitting to Blogger.com)

Read: Your latest txtmate and phonepal: Government (a 1-yr-old list I compiled while I was at Digital Philippines), Edong's Dreams: Taxi Beacon, Bote! Dyaryo! SIM!
Visit: LTFRB, Txt Usok (gov.ph forum)