Jeepney drivers upbeat over return of face-to-face classes in August

While upbeat over the announced resumption of full in-person classes, several transport groups on Tuesday reiterated their call for the return of original routes assigned to public utility jeepneys.

In Joseph Morong’s report on “24 Oras,” Pasang Masda and PISTON warned the current routes of public utility vehicles may not be adequate to provide rides to students once they begin travelling to and from schools.

Pasang Masda explained the routes were affected by the nationalization program earlier imposed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Ang mga ruta namin pinutol. Ang mga jeep na ruta ay pinadaan ng mga bus sapagkat ang appeal ng LTFRB mas malaki ang loading capacity ng bus kaysa sa jeepney,” said Pasang Masda president Obet Martin.

(Our routes were shortened. The jeepney routes were given to buses because according to the LTFRB, buses have a bigger loading capacity than jeepneys.)

PISTON expressed similar sentiment noting that 30 percent of its members have stopped operating.

“Yung UP lang, ilan lang tumatakbo sa UP ngayon? Dati 160, ngayon nasa 20 lang. 'Yun ang magkaroon ng malaking problema, saan sasakay ang ating mga estudyante,” PISTON president Mody Bautista said.

(In UP alone, how many are servicing students there? There were 160 before but right now, there are only 20. The students will have a big problem with transportation.)

Bautista further warned more jeepney drivers might opt to stop operating should fuel prices continue to soar. He said their petition for additional P3 on minimum fare will push through.

“‘Yung mga short distance na ruta talagang medyo nahihirapan sapagkat malaki pa rin ang diesel,” said Martin.

(The routes with short distances are having difficulty because diesel prices remain high.)

GMA reached out to the LTFRB for its comment.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) said it will have a meeting with the Department of Transportation and the Department of the Interior and Local Government ahead of the resumption of classes in August.

“Sa Biyernes, mayroon kaming pagpupulong. We will be discussing protocols for the transport of students, especially still under  a public health emergency,” said DepEd Undersecretary Epimaco Densing.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA News