LTFRB-7 mulls one-stop-shop for issuance of special permits for PUJs

CEBU CITY, Philippines–The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) will establish a one-stop-shop for the issuance of special permits for traditional public utility jeepneys (PUJs) that are set to return to the city streets soon.

LTFRB-7 regional director Eduardo Montealto said the said one-stop-shop will also include the personnel from the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) and Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO).

“Naa na didto ang LTO mo-conduct ug road worthiness. Naa na didto ang CCTO para mohatag ug travel line, ug naa napod mi, para mo-issue ug special permit,” Montealto said.

(The LTO will be there to conduct road worthiness tests on the units. The CCTO will also be there to give the travel line, while we will be there to give the special permits.)

Montealto said that they are planning to put up the one-stop-shop at the isolation facility at the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City probably next week.

The Cebu City government plans to allow the return of around 1,355 jeepneys in the city provided that they follow the guidelines for operations under the new normal.

Read: Cebu City considers return of 1.3K jeepneys

According to the LTFRB-7 chief, the Jeepney Task Force that was created by the Cebu City Government had already identified 15 routes for traditional PUJs to ply.

“Pero every week or every two weeks, naay evaluation kung unsa nga rota ang buksan na pod ug unsa nga mga rota nga pun-an ang mga units,” he added.

(But every week or every two weeks, we will evaluate what routes should be added and what routes should there be a need to add units.)  

To ensure that social distancing is observed inside the PUJs to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Montealto said that they will be implementing a one-seat-apart policy. Operators may also choose to install plastic barriers inside their units to accommodate more passengers at 80 percent capacity.

The agency will be more strict on the smaller multicab units. These units need to follow the one-seat-apart and should have  plastic barriers too.

“Gamay raman gud ug lugar sud sa multicab, unya mag-abot unya ang tiil sa mga passengers. So wala na’y social distancing,” he said.

(This is because there is lesser space inside the multicab, and the knees of passengers would already bump into each other so there’s no social distancing anymore.)

/bmjo