An Act Establishing Carpool Service In The Country, Regulating Its Use And Operation, And For Other Purposes

• To promote the use of carpool services, this bill establishes the legal framework for providing and accepting carpool services in the country. 
• This bill classifies carpool vehicles as private carriers, thereby reducing the bureaucratic requirement to provide carpool services legally. The bill likewise allows the owners and/or drivers of carpool vehicles to receive monetary contributions to cover expenses incidental to carpool vehicle operation, such as fuel, oil, and lubricant expenses, toll fees, parking charges, and vehicle maintenance costs. Government agencies are also authorized under the bill to provide incentives to carpool owners and/or drivers, such as exemption from vehicle volume reduction programs and designation of dedicated carpool lanes, among others. 
• Moreover, this bill addresses key issues associated with commuting in carpool vehicles. To warrant the roadworthiness of carpool vehicles, this bill compels the owners to follow the recommended preventive maintenance schedule of the carpool vehicles. To guarantee the safety and security of carpool passengers, this bill requires clearances and other documents to ensure that carpool drivers can be identified and found, and comprehensive motor vehicle insurance to protect passengers against accidents and other fortuitous events. To ensure the safety of carpool drivers and the carpool vehicles, this bill limits the provision and acceptance of carpool services within carpool associations empowered to scrutinize and monitor its own members. Finally, to keep unscrupulous vehicle owners and drivers from exploiting the carpool services to operate illegal colorum vehicles, this bill imposes a registration requirement for carpool vehicles, a carpool trip limit of two trips per day, a carpool passenger limit of six per carpool vehicle, and a Gas Fund contribution limit to be defined by the Department of Transportation (DOTr).