CEBU CITY, Philippines—The operation of the Cebu Interim Bus Service (CIBuS) in Cebu will bring about a change in the behavior of Cebuano commuters.
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Martin Delgra made the comment during a meeting with Secretary Michael Dino, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, last Thursday, March 5, 2020.
Delgra believes that the CIBuS would be a transportation changer not just to commuters but to all Cebuanos who are tired of dealing with the traffic woes within Metro Cebu.
“Absolutely dako kaayo og kausaban (there will be a major change). The level of service will definitely improve substantially,” said Delgra in a press release from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas. “Can you just imagine that in the first time for the island of Cebu, province of Cebu, and in the City of Cebu, you will now have a modern bus service before the full implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit.”
Read: Labella: Interim buses will benefit Cebu City residents
Aside from giving the public access to modern buses, Delgra said CIBuS “will run on a level of service which will include regular intervals, a definite travel time, and automatic fare collection system.”
Commuters will be using smart card, not cash, to pay for their fare.
Also, the CIBuS will pave the way for a higher capacity public transport system where bus boarding and alighting will be at designated bus stops only.
Vallacar Transit Incorporated, the bus company behind the Ceres Liner Buses, will be the operator for the CIBuS.
This new transport service, which will operate 24/7, will be launched on Monday, March 16, 2020, at 8 a.m.
After the launching, 20 modern buses will ply the streets of Cebu City from South Road Properties to Fuente Osmeña.
The estimated bus intervals from Mondays to Saturdays between 6AM to 9AM (rush hour) is 10 minutes; from 9AM to 4PM (non-rush hour) is at 15 minutes; 4PM to 9PM (rush hour) is at 10 minutes; 10PM to 12MN (non-rush hour) will be at 15 minutes and 12MN to 6AM will be at 30 minutes.
On Sundays and holidays, bus intervals will be at 15 minutes from 6AM to 12MN, and 30 minutes from 12MN to 6AM.
Each modern bus will have the capacity to carry 48 seating and 16 standing passengers or equivalent to the capacity of four jeepneys.
The CIBuS will ensure more comfortable travel with its air-conditioned bus units and reliable public transport service to Cebuanos.
The Cebu City LGU is tasked to set up the bus stop signs and mark the 17 designated bus stops.
The fare rate of CIBuS will be pegged at P11 for the first five kilometers and an additional P2.20 per kilometer.
Prior to implementing the CIBuS, Dino met with Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella, Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas, and top officials from the Department of Transportation (DcOTr) to finalize the CIBuS project. /bmjo