The riding public’s interest

It’s understandable that transport groups are nervous about the new buses being rolled out by SM Prime Holdings Inc. and the Manila-based Jam Liner Inc.

They know competition when they see it.

Julio Flores, president of the Cebu South Mini-Bus Operators’ Association, said so when he said the high-quality public transport system (HQPTS) and their routes could drive small public utility vehicle (PUV) operators in Cebu out of business.

It’s up to the public to decide whether status quo is a happy place to be, or the new buses are what Cebuanos deserve.

Ryan Yu, chairman of the Cebu Integrated Transport Cooperative (Citrasco), pointed to the problem of fit.

“These buses are nice to ride but the roads are very narrow and these buses are expected to be big. We still have the problem of traffic. This may worsen traffic,” he said during a recent 888 News Forum.

Ironically, the long, hybrid buses are being touted by critics as the problem which investors want to solve — more traffic congestion. Does that make sense?

The riding public should make its sentiments heard when the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) holds a public hearing on the bus venture system on Oct. 16.

Also read: Kaayuhan sa mga commuters ang 77 ka mga buses

Small operators vow to hold protest rallies.

Again, it is the public’s interest that should be upheld when the final decision is made whether to issue franchises for the SM My Bus venture to be operated by Metro Rapid Transit Services, Inc. (MRTSI), a consortium formed by Manila-based Jam Liner, Inc. and Premier Southern Corp., a subsidiary of SM Prime Holdings, Inc.

Operators know this bottom line.

They are right about Metro Cebu’s narrow roads and terrible traffic. But that’s for the city governments of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu to collaborate on to resolve.

There should be no excuses made of ignoring potentially better, modern, and less polluting means of public transport.

The route applied by the SM venture is one of the proposed routes of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that the Cebu city government, national government and World Bank is supposed to get fully operational in 2017 yet or later.

So this is a dry run for part of the BRT scheme, paid for by private investors whose main interest is to bring foot traffic and shoppers to SM Seaside Mall set to open in October, a site jeepneys don’t reach.

Options like this should not be shut down out of fear of progress, when today’s public transport system is obviously in bad shape, inadequate and smoke belching.

At the very least, the new buses will force other operators to upgrade their services so commuters would clamor for them to continue serving Metro Cebu. Or they could get out of a competitive industry and let better-equipped players run on the street.

Also read: Europe-made My Bus to operate Nov. 16