Colorum trips may offer a faster trip to your destinations but there are a lot of risks involved. Recently, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Philippine National Police, and traffic enforcement agencies have stepped up their campaign against colorum vehicles. In line with this, SecurityMatters has compiled some reasons to avoid colorum trips.

1.Safety is questionable

Colorum drivers have a particular characteristic in driving. They tend to be evasive so they drive fast, take shortcuts and different routes just to avoid traffic enforcers. Fast driving and passing by narrow streets and even accident-prone areas increase the risk of accidents. It is more dangerous to ride a quick-moving colorum trip compared to being stuck in a public vehicle in EDSA traffic. Also, vehicle maintenance is questionable so the risk of accidents gets even higher.

2. Colorum trips are crime magnets

Colorum vehicles have heavily tinted windows so as to avoid suspicion they are being used for illegal transporting of commuters. Also, drivers avoid traffic police and enforcers and pass by alternate routes like narrow dark streets and even secluded areas. Also, because of its shady nature, colorum trips may be part of a modus operandi for robbery, hold-up, and even kidnapping and rape. This can be a perfect vehicle for criminal activities.

3. You are more at risk of inconvenience

Colorum vehicles are less likely to be maintained regularly. The first to go would be the air-conditioning. It can get extremely hot inside the vehicle. Passengers cannot open windows because they are meant to be closed and heavily tinted so as to avoid suspicion. It is cooler to stand under the noontime sun compared to being inside a colorum vehicle wherein air-conditioning is not functioning. But more importantly, because their maintenance is questionable, colorum vehicles can be prone to breaking down. If such vehicle breaks down, passengers can get stuck in areas they are not familiar with and worse, far from routes of transport they can take instead to easily reach their destinations.

4. Colorum vehicles are not insured

Colorum vehicles are less likely to be covered by third party liability (TPL) insurance. Meaning, if something bad happens, like an accident, it would be a great problem to obtain damages from the owner of the vehicle. TPL insurance is a requirement for LTO registration. And accidents stemming from the use of a vehicle as an illegal public transport are not likely to be covered by insurance policies.

Compared to common belief, taking colorum trips, especially shuttles, can be more inconvenient. Also, the risks to personal safety and security are high. The best way to conveniently reach your destination is to leave early and have your route planned out. And even when you are running late, remember that reaching your destination safely and surely is far more important than anything else.

Have a safe trip!