Angkas retrains riders, fails 70%
of applicants to ensure safety
Text and photo by Jay Luna
Having safety as its primary concern, Angkas has rolled out a retraining program for its biker-partners as it anticipates government to sanction a six-month pilot run for the motorcycle passenger transport service in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu very soon.
Angkas, which has established itself as the first app-based motorcycle ride-hailing service in the country, held a press conference on Thursday, June 13, 2019, to present its ongoing training program at the San Andres Gym in Malate, Manila.
It wanted to assure the public that its 27,000-strong biker partners all over the country are more prepared and responsible in performing their tasks, following their retraining and adoption of additional safety measures.
Speaking at the press conference at Shakey’s Malate, Angkas Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs George Royeca said the retraining program is in compliance with the directive and recommendations of the Technical Working Group (TWG) created by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to further study the feasibility of “motorcycle taxis.”
Angkas fails 70 percent of riders
“The safety of the riding public has always been Angkas’s advocacy. All our biker-partners go through rigorous riding skills assessment, written exams and extensive safety training to make sure they meet very high safety standards,” Royeca said.
“We failed over 70 percent of the applicants to ensure that only the most capable bikers ferry passengers for Angkas,” he added.
Added safety measures
Mr. David Medrana, Angkas Head for Operations, explained that for its pilot run, Angkas is introducing special reflectorized vests with side straps that will help bikers to be more visible at night as well as make it easier for passengers to hold to the waist of the bikers.
The vests also has the biker’s unique ID number ensuring that only officially-registered bikers can take bookings.
Angkas insurance
Medrana added that all Angkas biker-partners and their passengers are insured, P450,000 in case of death and/or dismemberment and 100 thousand pesos in medical reimbursement for every ride.
“We also have a feedback mechanism in our app to closely monitor the performance of all our biker-partners and address any concerns immediately. Hopefully after six-month pilot-run, the law to regulate motorcycle taxis can already be passed,” Medrana said.
Sanitation improved
“Passengers should also demand the use of shower caps and face masks from their drivers to ensure sanitation especially on the use of helmets every ride.” he added.
Angkas has been an advocate for biker education and training since the inception of its services, a testament to their strict safety guidelines. They have trained more than 100 thousand motorcycle bikers to date but have accredited only 27,000 biker-partners due to their stringent standards. This has resulted in a current safety record of 99.997 per cent.