DOTr opens 28 new P2P bus routes
Published Jun 9, 2020 12:00 am
By Alexandria Dennise San Juan
At least 28 new routes have been opened by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for more than 200 point-to-point (P2P) buses to ferry more commuters as Metro Manila and nearby provinces enter the second week of a more relaxed lockdown.
(DOTr / MANILA BULLETIN)
The DOTr and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said in a statement that a total of 268 buses will be deployed to serve commuters in the National Capital Region (NCR), as well as in Imus, Bacoor, Dasmariñas, and Noveleta in Cavite; Sta. Rosa and Calamba in Laguna; Cainta and Antipolo in Rizal; Malolos, Balagtas, Pandi, Sta. Maria, and Plaridel in Bulacan; and to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Sangley Airport in Cavite.
The 28 new routes are Las Piñas-Makati; Sucat/PITX-Makati; Eastwood-Makati; Fairview-Makati; Alabang-Makati; Alabang-Ortigas; Alabang-BGC; Antipolo-Ortigas CBD; Antipolo-Makati CBD; Cainta-Makati; Imus-Makati; Noveleta-Makati, Sangley Airport/ Cavite City-NAIA, Makati-Bacoor, Makati-Dasmarinas, Alabang-Bacoor, Alabang-Dasmariñas, Taguig-Makati, Taguig-Ortigas, Malolos-North EDSA, Sta. Maria/Bocaue-North EDSA, Balagtas (Bulacan)-North EDSA, Pandi (Bulacan)-North EDSA, Plaridel (Bulacan)-North EDSA, Sta. Rosa, (Laguna)-Makati City, Calamba (Laguna)- Makati, Calamba-BGC/ Fort Bonifacio, and Calamba-Lawton.
According to the LTFRB, the P2P buses have been issued special permits as part of the control measures being enforced under the general community quarantine, and abide by its conditions which include health and safety protocols set by the DOTr and health authorities to ensure safety of passengers and bus personnel.
As the calibrated transition to the "new normal" continues in the transportation sector, the DOTr reminded operators and drivers to strictly observe preventive measures such as the mandatory wearing of face masks and gloves, and the thorough and regular disinfecting of the buses and bus terminals.
"Passenger load for the P2P buses should also not exceed 50 percent or half of the vehicle's capacity to observe physical distancing. These units are equipped with a navigation system for monitoring of movement, automatic fare collection system for cashless payments, RFID tags, among others," the LTFRB added.
Meanwhile, four city bus routes were launched on Monday, June 8, to service more essential commuters going to different parts of the greater Manila area. These include Route 3 from Monumento to the Valenzuela Gateway Complex; Route 11 from Gilmore to Taytay, Rizal; Route 13 from Buendia to BGC; and Route 21 from Monumento to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.
The LTFRB said that it will continue to add and open new bus routes to accommodate the large volume of commuters expected during the transition to the new normal.
As Metro Manila transitioned to general community quarantine (GCQ) last June 1, public transport were allowed to resume operations in two phases.
For Phase 1 from June 1 to 21, the DOTr allowed the operation but with a limited passenger capacity of trains, bus augmentation for trains, taxis, transport network vehicle services, shuttle services, P2P buses, and bicycles.
Tricycles were also be allowed to operate but subject to prior approval of the concerned local government unit.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB is targeting to open the entire 31 rationalized routes for city buses by June 19 to ease the public transportation shortage under the GCQ.
“We are meeting a target earlier than the start of Phase 2 because we are looking forward to opening all 31 rationalized city bus routes by June 19,” LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said in a virtual Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday.
All public utility buses, modern jeepneys, and UV Express will be permitted on the road during Phase 2, which will run from June 22 to June 30, as part of the DOTr “calibrated, partial, and in phases” approach on allowing public transport to ply the roads again.
However, Delgra said the DOTr noted the need for additional modes of public transportation after many passengers were stranded in some parts of Metro Manila on the first days of GCQ due to limited mass transit.
The LTFRB started to open some city bus routes on June 2 to transport more essential commuters to their workplaces.
(DOTr / MANILA BULLETIN)
The DOTr and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said in a statement that a total of 268 buses will be deployed to serve commuters in the National Capital Region (NCR), as well as in Imus, Bacoor, Dasmariñas, and Noveleta in Cavite; Sta. Rosa and Calamba in Laguna; Cainta and Antipolo in Rizal; Malolos, Balagtas, Pandi, Sta. Maria, and Plaridel in Bulacan; and to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Sangley Airport in Cavite.
The 28 new routes are Las Piñas-Makati; Sucat/PITX-Makati; Eastwood-Makati; Fairview-Makati; Alabang-Makati; Alabang-Ortigas; Alabang-BGC; Antipolo-Ortigas CBD; Antipolo-Makati CBD; Cainta-Makati; Imus-Makati; Noveleta-Makati, Sangley Airport/ Cavite City-NAIA, Makati-Bacoor, Makati-Dasmarinas, Alabang-Bacoor, Alabang-Dasmariñas, Taguig-Makati, Taguig-Ortigas, Malolos-North EDSA, Sta. Maria/Bocaue-North EDSA, Balagtas (Bulacan)-North EDSA, Pandi (Bulacan)-North EDSA, Plaridel (Bulacan)-North EDSA, Sta. Rosa, (Laguna)-Makati City, Calamba (Laguna)- Makati, Calamba-BGC/ Fort Bonifacio, and Calamba-Lawton.
According to the LTFRB, the P2P buses have been issued special permits as part of the control measures being enforced under the general community quarantine, and abide by its conditions which include health and safety protocols set by the DOTr and health authorities to ensure safety of passengers and bus personnel.
As the calibrated transition to the "new normal" continues in the transportation sector, the DOTr reminded operators and drivers to strictly observe preventive measures such as the mandatory wearing of face masks and gloves, and the thorough and regular disinfecting of the buses and bus terminals.
"Passenger load for the P2P buses should also not exceed 50 percent or half of the vehicle's capacity to observe physical distancing. These units are equipped with a navigation system for monitoring of movement, automatic fare collection system for cashless payments, RFID tags, among others," the LTFRB added.
Meanwhile, four city bus routes were launched on Monday, June 8, to service more essential commuters going to different parts of the greater Manila area. These include Route 3 from Monumento to the Valenzuela Gateway Complex; Route 11 from Gilmore to Taytay, Rizal; Route 13 from Buendia to BGC; and Route 21 from Monumento to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.
The LTFRB said that it will continue to add and open new bus routes to accommodate the large volume of commuters expected during the transition to the new normal.
As Metro Manila transitioned to general community quarantine (GCQ) last June 1, public transport were allowed to resume operations in two phases.
For Phase 1 from June 1 to 21, the DOTr allowed the operation but with a limited passenger capacity of trains, bus augmentation for trains, taxis, transport network vehicle services, shuttle services, P2P buses, and bicycles.
Tricycles were also be allowed to operate but subject to prior approval of the concerned local government unit.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB is targeting to open the entire 31 rationalized routes for city buses by June 19 to ease the public transportation shortage under the GCQ.
“We are meeting a target earlier than the start of Phase 2 because we are looking forward to opening all 31 rationalized city bus routes by June 19,” LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III said in a virtual Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday.
All public utility buses, modern jeepneys, and UV Express will be permitted on the road during Phase 2, which will run from June 22 to June 30, as part of the DOTr “calibrated, partial, and in phases” approach on allowing public transport to ply the roads again.
However, Delgra said the DOTr noted the need for additional modes of public transportation after many passengers were stranded in some parts of Metro Manila on the first days of GCQ due to limited mass transit.
The LTFRB started to open some city bus routes on June 2 to transport more essential commuters to their workplaces.