The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas says that traditional public utility jeepneys will soon be replaced by modernized jeepneys. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — All traditional public utility jeepneys (TPUJs) currently plying in the region will soon be replaced with modernized jeepneys.
This was what Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) Director Eduardo Montealto Jr., told CDN Digital in an interview.
Montealto said TPUJ operators, whose units are currently plying routes in the region, were only given special permits to operate while awaiting their modernized jeepneys.
“Kinahanglan mapulihan na gyud na sila tanan og modern kay gipabalik lang man na sila mentras naghuwat pod na sila sa ilang modern PUJ,” he said.
(These should all be replaced because they are only allowed to return to the streets while they are waiting for their modern PUJ.)
The LTFRB-7 chief, however, clarified that the transition should not be considered as a phaseout of TPUJs, saying that they were just the same operators who applied for modernization.
“Dili man matawag nga phaseout but modernized gyud kay ang kining mga operators pod aning traditional PUJ, the same operators pod nga nag modernized. Naghulat na lang sila sa ilang mga units nga moabot. Naghinay-hinay na pod og balik karon ang arrivals. Nahunog man na gud na tungod atong pandemic. Karon hinay-hinay na maong natingob,” said Montealto.
(We cannot call that a phaseout but modernized because the operators of the traditional PUJs are the same operators of these modernized [jeepneys]. They are just waiting for their units to arrive. The arrival of the units have slowly returned. This was stopped because of the pandemic. Now they are slowly moving that is the reason there are many units arriving.)
The regional director was referring to the 80 more modernized jeepneys, which was launched yesterday, July 16, 2021.
Of the these jeepneys, 65 of which will ply within Cebu City, while 15 will serve the Cebu City-Liloan town route.
Montealto emphasized that each jeepney could accommodate a maximum of 22 passengers. However, due to the limited capacity policy, they are only allowed to load a maximum of 75 percent.
READ: 80 more modernized jeepneys to be deployed in Cebu City, Liloan town
He also said earlier that buses would still be needed in Metro Cebu, though there were 721 modernized and traditional jeepneys operating in 65 routes including the provincial routes.
He said that the region had 6,000 TPUJs including the 3,000 units in Cebu.
Montealto said that if they were to equate it with 1:2, at least 3,000 modernized PUJs would be needed region-wide to close the gap between supply and demand of transportation.
READ: LTFRB-7: Buses still needed in Cebu City despite deployment of more modern PUJs
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