CEBU CITY—Forty modern jeepneys have arrived here and will soon ply the city’s thoroughfares.
Described as ultra-modern, the fully air-conditioned vehicles were launched on Monday by no less than Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin Delgra.
The jeepneys, which will have two routes, can accommodate up to 30 passengers. They are equipped with closed-circuit television cameras and dash cameras.
In the first route, the jeepneys will leave from Cebu City Hall to Robinsons Galleria to the Cebu Business Park and to Asiatown IT Park and vice versa.
The start of the second route will be at Paseo Arcenas in Barangay Banawa to Happy Valley, B. Rodriguez St., Fuente Osmeña, Ramos St., D. Jakosalem St., Gorordo Ave., Ayala Center Cebu, Sitio Panagdait in Barangay Mabolo to Sykes Philippines on F. Cabahug St. and vice versa.
During the launching, it was announced that a dry run will be held starting 6 a.m. yesterday.
But LTFRB 7 Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. said yesterday that they are still fixing some issues that caused the dry run to be put on hold.
The LTFRB has granted a 90-day provisional authority that will allow the jeepneys to start operating although it has yet to get a travel line from the city government.
The jeepney’s operations will be managed by the Cebu Integrated Transport Multipurpose Cooperative (Citrasco).
Passengers will have to pay P8 as minimum fare and P1 for the succeeding kilometer. Each jeepney will soon have Automated Fare Collection System where passengers will only have to swipe cards to pay their fare.
Drivers will undergo training before all the jeepneys will become fully operational.
Manufactured in China and Russia, each vehicle is worth P2.6 million each. The acquisitions of the modern jeepneys is part of the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).(Calvin D.Cordova)
