The hybrid electric road train or E-Train goes on a road test at the North Reclamation Area , Wednesday, in preparation for its operations set to begin on February 15 or once traffic officials in Cebu City and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) are able to figure out the trains’ routes. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
THE hybrid electric road train donated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) went on a test drive yesterday.
The road e-train, which is composed of five coaches, traversed the S. Osmeña Road in the company of a mini mobile car of the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO), to ensure the road was cleared of other vehicles as the 40-meter train maneuvered road corners and curves.
The e-trains use battery consoles and diesel fuel to run, according to a primer on the vehicle earlier released by the DOST. And the fifth bus served as the carrier of the battery packs.
Road e-trains are designed to solve the need for mass transport in Cebu and to solve the traffic congestion in the city. It can accommodate 240 passengers.
Rides will be for free during the test runs this week, according to Cebu Provincial Science and Technology Director Samuel Parcon in an interview over TV Patrol Cebu yesterday.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, in his Facebook post yesterday, showed the proposed route for the road e-train, which, according to Parcon, is scheduled to begin on Feb. 15.
Osmeña said the city did not ask for the hybrid e-train and was thankful that DOST offered it for free.
Under the proposed route, the e-train route starts from Fuente Osmeña rotunda proceeding to Osmeña Boulevard, left turn to P. del Rosario St. then proceed to Imus New Road. It then takes a right turn to Gen. Maxilom Extension, right turn to S. Osmeña Ave., then right turn to Commerce St., right turn to Benedicto St.
It will turn left and back to Gen. Maxilom Ext., turn left to Imus New Road, straight to P del. Rosario St., proceed to N. Bacalso Ave., right turn to V. Rama Ave., right turn to B. Rodriguez St. then to back to the Fuente Osmeña rotunda.
“This is the proposed route for the hybrid electric road train the city received. An articulated bus is difficult to accommodate in our streets, but I think this route will work out well,” Osmeña said.
Earlier, the CCTO suggested three other routes but later ruled them all as unfavorable for the road train.
CCTO executive director Rafael Yap, however, told Cebu Daily News that as of yesterday, they have to decide on the final route for the e-train.
“We will announce it soon, based on the testing and feedback from DOST,” Yap said.
He said that it was the initiative of the DOST to conduct the test drive.