(Eagle News)–More than 70 percent of public utility jeepneys and UV Express units have consolidated for the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said.
According to the LTFRB, the 76 percent translates to 145,721 units.
“For UV Express, nasa 82 percent na po yung consolidation rate, and for the PUJ, that’s 73.96 percent,” LTFRB Board Member Riza Paches said in an interview.
The LTFRB official said the increase in consolidation rate was thanks to the campaign they conducted last month.
“Overall, we projected around 18,026 but after December 31, yung level po nung nag-consolidate at nag-apply for consolidation was actually 25, 629 units. This makes up 142 percent from what we projected,” Paches said.
“So, meaning to say that the campaign for consolidation during the last stretch of December was actually effective and the matter by which the agencies have been opening their offices, relaxing certain policies, and requirements, and even reaching out to all these transport service operators was to the agencies perspective,” she added.
President Bongbong Marcos earlier said that the government can no longer allow further delays in the consolidation of PUVs.
The consolidation is the first step to “rationalizing” routes under the government’s PUV modernization program.
“Rationalization” means units will be allocated along routes based on need, instead of having them compete against each other.
Consolidation is also a key step to fleet modernization, the government has said.
According to the President, “adhering to the current timeline” will ensure “everyone can reap the benefits of the full operationalization of our modernized public transport system.”