CBRT shared-lane setup: Netizens divided, criticisms mount
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Public reaction to Cebu City’s decision to allow modern and traditional jeepneys to share the dedicated lane of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) system has been mixed, with many netizens saying they can accept the arrangement as a temporary measure, but not as a permanent one.
In comments gathered by CDN Digital on Friday, March 20, readers expressed both practical support and strong reservations over the shared-lane policy, which was approved as the city grapples with traffic congestion during the initial phase of CBRT operations.
A common thread in many of the responses was conditional approval: some netizens said the shared lane could work temporarily, especially while the CBRT is still not operating at full capacity, provided that public utility vehicles stop only at designated stations and do not undermine the long-term purpose of the system.
READ: Jeepneys now allowed in Cebu BRT dedicated lane
READ: ‘CBRT is not rapid yet,’ Archival defends shared-lane setup
R-Val Perez said he agreed with the setup only if it remained temporary and if jeepneys would load and unload passengers strictly at designated stops.
He also said the arrangement should last only until jeepney routes are fully adjusted and more CBRT buses are deployed, arguing that the system would not be truly successful as long as jeepneys continue to ply the same route and offer the convenience of flagging down passengers almost anywhere.
Ana M. Yonson shared a similar view, saying that since the CBRT lane is not yet being fully utilized, it may be practical to allow its temporary use to help reduce traffic.
Pamela Ferraren also supported the setup, pointing to the heavy traffic that could worsen if jeepneys were forced into separate lanes along already narrow roads.
She said workers like her are among those directly affected when congestion causes delays during rush hour.
Clive Roland Fermini said he could accept the arrangement “grudgingly” for now, considering that the CBRT is not yet 100 percent operational, but stressed that once the system becomes fully functional, the lane should be reserved exclusively for CBRT buses.
Justin Paul Neri echoed a similar position, saying jeepneys may use the lane as long as they stop only at CBRT stations and not just anywhere along the corridor.
Some readers went further and argued that the arrangement could even help train both drivers and commuters to adjust to a more disciplined, station-based transport system.
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Justin David Ramos said the public should see the setup as a form of practice, noting that if authorities did not allow it, people would still complain about traffic.
He said the arrangement may at least help passengers and drivers get used to boarding and unloading at stations instead of stopping wherever convenient.
Noel Calderon Talaver, meanwhile, described the move as a practical response to Cebu City’s traffic situation.
He said opening the lane to jeepneys and public buses could improve loading and unloading, keep traffic moving, and move more passengers more efficiently than private vehicles.
He added, however, that transport modernization should continue alongside the shared-lane arrangement, including stricter removal of unsafe jeepneys that fail to meet road safety standards.
Strong criticism remains
Still, not all reactions were favorable.
Some netizens argued that allowing jeepneys into the CBRT lane weakens the very concept of a bus rapid transit system, whose effectiveness depends largely on dedicated, exclusive lanes that allow buses to move quickly and predictably.
Paul Michael said the move defeats the purpose of the project and reinforces why the system has faced criticism, especially after years of delays.
He likened the setup to allowing just anyone to pass through train tracks, saying what should have been a first step toward a better transport system is instead being diluted.
Amai Bisdak also criticized the arrangement, saying the CBRT was intended to provide commuters with a faster and more convenient alternative to ordinary road traffic. Opening dedicated lanes to other public utility vehicles, even temporarily, would make the system ineffective and turn it into what he described as an “exercise in futility.”
City says setup is temporary
The debate followed the city government’s implementation of a CBRT shared-lane setup that now allows modern public utility jeepneys (MPUJs) and traditional public utility jeepneys (TPUJs) to use the CBRT lane along parts of N. Bacalso Avenue and Osmeña Boulevard.
Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) head Raquel Arce first announced the change on Wednesday, March 18, saying the arrangement had been approved by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Central Office.
Under the new setup, only MPUJs and TPUJs may share the lane with CBRT buses. Private vehicles remain prohibited from using the corridor.
City officials said public utility vehicles using the lane must stop only at designated stations along the affected stretch, mirroring the station-based setup of the CBRT system.
Mayor Nestor Archival has defended the decision, saying the arrangement is a response to actual conditions on the ground, particularly the still-limited number of buses currently operating and the long waiting time between trips.
He said the city could not yet describe the system as truly “rapid” while buses remain few and intervals between trips still stretch from 20 minutes to as long as an hour.
For that reason, Archival argued that the temporary sharing of lanes does not yet defeat the purpose of the CBRT, especially while later phases of the project remain unfinished.
He has repeatedly stressed that the arrangement is not final and may remain only until the system becomes more complete and bus operations become more frequent.
Why the issue matters
Dedicated lanes are widely considered one of the defining features of any Bus Rapid Transit system because they allow buses to move separately from mixed traffic, making travel faster, more reliable, and more efficient for a larger number of commuters.
That is why the decision to let jeepneys into the CBRT corridor has triggered debate: for critics, it risks undermining the core principle of rapid transit; for supporters, it is a practical adjustment during an incomplete and still limited rollout.
The public response, for now, suggests that many Cebuanos are willing to tolerate the CBRT shared-lane arrangement, but only as a temporary compromise, and only if discipline is enforced.
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