LTO mulls special permits in routes without consolidated jeepneys   

Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza has convened the regional directors to prepare for the apprehension of unconsolidated jeepneys starting February 1, according to a "24 Oras" report by Joseph Morong.

Mendoza also called on unconsolidated jeepneys to join cooperatives before the expiry of a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) memorandum allowing them to operate until January 31.

“Para alam rin namin kung ano’ng support facility we can still coordinate with LTFRB, DoTr (Department of Transportation) na baka pwedeng magbigay ng special permit. Ayaw naman natin na mag-enforce tapos walang masakyan ang mga tao sa baba,” he said.

(We want to know which support facility we can still coordinate with the LTFRB and the DoTr maybe for the issuance of a special permit. We don’t want to enforce and let our commuters suffer.)

According to the report, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has also ordered barangay officials to ban unconsolidated jeepneys from plying their routes starting February 1.

But some drivers said they would continue to hit the road even after the so-called expiration of their franchise.

“Ito’ng area talaga from itong biyahe nila, halos sentro. Itong mga tricycle naman natin ang nakaabang…Una, problema din medyo sinasamantala din tinaasan din ang pamasahe,” said Barangay 634 Captain Dudz Capones.

(This area is the center. There are tricycle units here but some drivers take advantage of the lack of PUVs.)

“Hopefully, may magawa din ang local government may mga, i-provide silang mga sasakyan para sa ating commuters,” Capones added. (Hopefully, this will be addressed and they can provide vehicles for commuters.)

Data from the LTFRB showed that as of January 19, a total of 1,767 routes across the country have no consolidated jeepney drivers and operators. 

Bicol has the highest number of routes with no consolidated PUJs at 451. It was followed by Metro Manila with 320.

Another route that is expected to be affected due to the lack of consolidated jeepneys is the Paco-Rotonda-Nagtahan route, which has several schools and offices.

“Magta-tricycle na lang po, no choice eh…Mataas na po yung bayad compared sa jeep,” a student said. (I’ll ride tricycles instead. We have no choice. However, we’ll be paying more.)

Starting February 1, the LTFRB will consider unconsolidated PUJs as “colorum” following the expiry of its December 25 memorandum allowing individual operators in routes without a consolidated transport service entity (TSE) to operate until January 31.

The public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program aims to replace traditional jeepneys with vehicles that have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine to lessen pollution and replace units that were not deemed roadworthy under the standards of the Land Transportation Office.

The consolidation of individual PUV franchises into cooperatives or corporations is the initial stage of the PUVMP. This aims to pass the burden of acquiring modernized units from operators to the transport entity.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News