Rather than road sharing, why not rationalize or schedule the use of the roads?
The idea was broached by lawyer Antonio Inton Jr., board member of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), in yesterday’s 888 News Forum.
“What’s good for the vast majority must be prioritized, so we can give way to public transport. It’s not a curtailment of private vehicles. A little sacrifice can make a difference,” Inton, a former Quezon City councilor, said.
Inton was in Cebu to brief regional transport officials about the ongoing review of the DOTC Joint Administrative Order 2014-01.
He said private vehicle owners can opt to use public transport on certain days – a scheme similar to Metro Manila’s number coding — or be made to take different routes to certain destinations.
Inton recently hogged national headlines when he suggested a ban on private vehicles along Epifanio delos Santos Ave. (Edsa) during rush hours to decongest Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare.
His proposal sparked debate among officials and the public in Manila.
Inton’s proposal was raised by Alex Bordadora, chairman of the Visayan United Drivers Transport Service Cooperative (Vudtrasco), as a possible solution to the traffic congestion in Cebu.
Bordadora suggested that the scheme be introduced in city roads particularly in the Banilad-Talamban corridor.
While saying he isn’t an expert on traffic or road management, Inton said he hopes transport officials and policy makers consider the recommendation as it might be the right solution.
Speaking on the JAO , Inton said the directive needs to be revised.
“I was convinced that there should be some revisions,” Inton said.
He said the possible revisions can be done on Chapter 4 of the JAO on franchise-related violations.
“Under the JAO, there’s no time element on the ’three strike policy’. If you committed your two offenses this year and the third will be two years from now, it will still be counted as three strikes already,” Inton said.
He said there can also be changes in the routes of franchised vehicles to “adjust to the times.”
For example, drivers usually adjust their route to cover those that draw heavy passenger traffic like a new mall. Inton said the agency will finalize its review on Oct. 17.
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