LTFRB welcomes e-jeep plan

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) yesterday welcomed the decision of Cebu transport groups to operate an initial 60 units of electronic passenger jeeps.

The e-jeeps will be provided by Star 8 Solar Corp. for free because they will advertise inside and outside the units.

Transport operator Julie Flores said the Cebu Provincial Bus and Minibus Operators Cooperative will start the operation within the year.

LTFRB 7 Director Ahmed Cuizon said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has issued Department Order 2017-011, or the Omnibus Guidelines on the Planning and Identification of Public Road Transportation Services and Franchise Issuance.

The order was signed by DOTr Sec. Arthur Tugade last June 19.

Cuizon said it paved the way for the opening of a public utility vehicle (PUV) franchise based on the local public transport route plant (LPTRP) that will be formulated by local government units (LGUs) and approved by DOTr.

The department order is also known as Omnibus Franchise Guidelines (OFG).

Cuizon said the LPTRP will contain what routes will be opened or modified, what kind of PUVs will be issued franchises and for how many units.

“Essentially, under this department order, PUVs will be classified according to the types of roads they will traverse,” Cuizon said.

“Highways or arterial roads will not be mainly catering to buses and mini-buses while PUJs and Filcabs will be assigned to pass through secondary or collector roads,” Cuizon said.

Moreover, Cuizon said the OFG also calls for new classifications for the PUJs, which will be implemented in three years, such as the installation of global positioning system (GPS), free WiFi, closed-circuit camera television (CCTV), dash cameras, speed limiter and automatic fare collection system.