The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Thursday, Dec. 21, arrested eighteen picky taxi drivers after refusing to service passengers who did not agree to their payment demand.

“Hindi na uubra ngayon ang maling kalakaran na mamimili kayo ng pasahero at tatagain nyo pa sa bayad. At lalong hindi puwede na wala kayong prangkisa pero ibi-byahe ninyo ang mga sasakyan ninyo,” Mendoza said in a press release.

“I expect all Regional Directors heads and our Law Enforcement Service teams to intensify the campaign for the rest of the Holiday season dahil hindi titino ang mga ito, hindi susunod sa batas ang mga ito hanggang hindi nasasampolan,” he added.

According to LTO, two of the apprehended cab drivers failed to show a valid franchise to operate whereas the remaining were caught in the act.

The LTO chief cited passenger complaints stating that some taxi drivers would decline families with babies and toddlers in their vehicle except when they agree with the price demanded by the driver.

The agency’s operation was part of a directive to run after colorum public utility vehicles and public taxi drivers, who are refusing to take passengers amid the surge of passengers this holiday season.