Leaders of transport groups ask LTFRB official Reynald Elmar for a dialog to discuss the government’s PUJ phase-out plan.(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
Free rides to SRP over; Commuters introduced to tap-to-ride e-system
If you ride the new MyBus units to the South Road Properties (SRP), tap a card instead of reaching for coins in your wallet.
More than two weeks after it started operations, the SM MyBus liner now requires passengers to buy a prepaid card to pay for the fare.
Since Dec. 16, the cards are being sold at the SM City Cebu parking lot for P200 with a preloaded amount of P100.
The operator Metro Rapid Transit System Inc. earlier offered free rides until December 15 to promote the opening of the new SM Seaside City mall in the SRP.
The entry of European-made airconditioned buses is giving Cebuanos their first taste of modern Wi-FI, GPS-equipped buses that use an e-card system for payment of fare.
The bus line is a joint venture between SM Prime Holdings Inc. and the Manila-based Jam Liner Inc.
An SM MyBus card that can be bought at the station for P200. (CDN PHOTO/MICHELL PADAYHAG)
Only three bus units have been cleared to operate for now by the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) which approved a franchise for the routes from Talisay City to SM Seaside
City via SRP Mambaling, N. Bacalso Avenue and vice versa.
The fare is P25.Fare rates were approved last November 16.
Another four bus units arrived last week for this route and were inspected.
LTFRB Regional Director Reyanldo Elnar said they will monitor compliance.
The LTFRB denied the motion for reconsideration filed by transport groups opposing the franchise application for SM MyBus units.
The December 16 order signed by Elnar found no basis for their arguments , saying these groups don’t qualify as providers of high quality public transport system (HQPTS).
The order also stated that every franchise is conditional and the failure to meet its requirements can be grounds for cancellation.
The protestors said there was no consultation with the transport sector before the franchise was given.
The motion was filed by the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Multi Purpose Cooperative (Citrasco), Visayas United Drivers Transport and Allied Services Cooperative (VUDTRASCO) and Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association (MCTOA).
Pending applications for franchises cover several routes.
Aside from the Talisay-Mambaling-SRP route for P25, there is a 12-km ride from Mandaue City to barangay Mambaling for P25.
The third route covers Talisay City to Mandaue at 19 km for P40; Talisay to Mambaling (11 km) and Mambaling to Mandaue (8 km) for P25.
The route between Talisay and the Mactan Cebu International Airport (24 kilometers) has a P75 rate.
Talisay to Mambaling (11 kilometers) is P25 and Mambaling to Mandaue (8 kilometers) is P25.