4 more MyBus units arrive in Cebu

Four more European-made MyBus units arrived in Cebu during the weekend and were immediately inspected by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB–7).

LTFRB–7 director Reynaldo Elnar said that inspection is needed to determine whether the new units deserve a franchise.

“We still have to identify in which part of the developmental route these newly arrived bus will ply,” Elnar told Cebu Daily News.

The inspection team, which was composed of three inspectors, was led by LTFRB assistant information officer Emil Membrillas. The inspection yesterday lasted 45 minutes.

“The features of the newly arrived (four) MyBus units are mostly the same with the (other) three units,” Membrillas told said.

Features of a High Quality Public Transport System (HQPTS) on the three approved units include a closed-circuit television (CCTV), global positioning system (GPS) and Wi-fi.

Three MyBus units were already issued a franchise on November 24. These units are now plying the route Talisay City to SM Seaside City via South Road Properties (SRP), Mambaling, Natalio (N) Bacalso, and vice versa.

Last weekend, members of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston)–Cebu had their first MyBus ride.

Greg Perez, Piston–Cebu coordinator, said they took a ride to assess whether the European-made bus units have served the riding public well.

“Those (buses) do not serve the public well because there are some passengers who are still having difficulty looking for a ride especially in the evening,” Perez told CDN.

Perez said they will continue to oppose MyBus operations. When asked for a comment on the plan of Cebu Integrated Transport Cooperative (Citrasco) to buy 50 units of HQPTS, he said they cannot stop the transport group because they are capable of doing so.

Perez is urging the companies that will operate HQPTS bus units to also hire displaced jeepney drivers.