Philippines – The Cebu Interim Bus (CiBus) System that will mimic the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) component of the Metro Cebu Integrated Intermodal Transport System (MCIITS) has started its operations on Monday, March 16, 2020. CDN Digital photo | Raul Constantine Tabanao
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu Interim Bus (CiBus) System that will mimic the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) component of the Metro Cebu Integrated Intermodal Transport System (MCIITS) has started its operations on Monday, March 16, 2020.
20 bus units, operated by Bacolod-based Vallacar Transit, will be plying major thoroughfares in Cebu City – from South Road Properties to Fuente Osmeña, and vice-versa.
The maiden voyage of the northbound and southbound routes kicked off with the presence of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) director Eduardo Montealto Jr., Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella, and Presidential Assistant to the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino.
The launching of CiBus on Monday at the IL Corso grounds at the South Road Properties here on Monday comes at a time when both the Cebu Provincial Government and Cebu City Government imposed border controls as precautionary measures against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Read: Cebu City puts up border control as it enters ‘general community quarantine’
At a press interview, Dino told members of the media that personnel of the buses will be provided with personal protective equipment (PPE), and that they will have to limit its capacity to 20 passengers only.
Units of the Cebu Interim Bus System parked during its launching at the IL Corso grounds, South Road Properties in Cebu City on Monday morning, March 16, 2020. CDN Digital photo | Raul Constantine Tabanao
“The bus has a 37-seating capacity. As of now, we agreed to only accommodate up to 20 passengers,” said Dino.
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.
Passengers will be paying P11 for the first five kilometers, and P2 for every succeeding kilometer.
The MCIITS is a project of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), designed to help alleviate Metro Cebu’s worsening traffic condition.
CiBus will serve as the precursor of MCIITS’ BRT component, which is expected be partially operational by 2021.
Other components of MCIITS are the monorail, and a cable-car system that will transport passengers from Mactan Cebu International Airport to downtown Cebu City. /bmjo