BEEP Cebu workers assured of aid if temporary stop of operation move will push through

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Workers to be affected if  the “Bagong Jeepney” Cebu or BEEP Cebu will push through with their temporary suspension of operation next week are assured of assistance from the Federation of Cebu Transport Cooperative (FCTC).

This was after 15 transport cooperatives that made up the federation showed their interest in helping these workers as well as in augmenting units in the affected routes.

READ: BEEP Cebu announces suspension of operations for 6 months

Consultative meeting

During the emergency meeting on Wednesday morning, September 27, Councilor James Cuenco convened the members of the transport cooperative and Traffic Management Coordinating (TMC) group, to find solutions to the problem of BEEP Cebu.

According to Cuenco, chairman of the Committee on Transportation in the Cebu City Council, the TMC will prepare for the temporary suspension of operation of the modern jeepney company.

These include the finding of new jobs for displaced drivers and public assistant officers (PAOs), and augmenting units in the affected route to accommodate the riding public.

READ: Beeps pulled out of Cebu City due to CCTO apprehensions

FCTC to augment units to affected routes

The FCTC assured the councilor that they still had vacant units that they could augment in the affected route, but they would need to secure a special permit before they could ply these routes.

BEEP Cebu has around 58 units that ply routes from Cebu City Hall to IT Park, Banawa to Panagdait, Tabunok to IT Park, and Minglanilla to IT Park under a special permit.

The TMC, however, promised the cooperative that they would help to fast-track the issuance of special permits of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

READ: Beeps back in Cebu City streets

BEEP Cebu to appear in City Council

Despite this, Cuenco still wants the management of BEEP Cebu to appear in the executive session next week.

Earlier, in its memo, the transport company said that one of the reasons for the suspension of its operations was the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war which prevented the effective dispatch of the 20 Gazelle units that were manufactured in Russia.

The ongoing war has prevented BEEP Cebu from sourcing spare parts for its Gazelle units.

The transport company also mentioned stiff competition, delays in the approval of its request for route modification, and the ongoing construction works for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project as the other reasons for its decision to temporarily suspend operations.

BEEP Cebu said that the ongoing BRT construction works have been hurting, especially the company’s Guadalupe to Carbon route, thus “preventing us from earning.”

READ: 3 transport groups seek P5 fare increase

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