The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has reopened over 150 routes of traditional and modern passenger jeepneys in a bid to maximize public transportation operations as the normalization continues following the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a resolution dated Dec. 16 and signed by the LTFRB Board headed by Riza Marie Paches, all of the public utility jeepney (PUJ) pandemic routes covers the National Capital Region and also includes direct routes to and from the nearby provinces of Bulacan and Rizal.

The reopening of the pre-pandemic routes took effect on Dec. 26 and is expected to be of big help once millions of students and workers return to schools and work by next year.

The Resolution, however, included a modification of the pre-pandemic routes in order to exclude EDSA from the regular jeepney routes.

Monstrous traffic jams are reported daily along EDSA and observers said the traffic problems are aggravated in portions of EDSA where passenger jeepneys traverse.

"The Franchise Planning and Monitoring Division and the PUV (public utility vehicle) Modernization Program - Project Management Office found the need to revert modified routes to their pre-pandemic structures, modify a number of current routes in order to not traverse EDSA, and open additional routes to respond to the increasing passenger demand and clamor of transport service entities," the LTFRB Resolution read.

The Resolution also includes open ing of new routes for both jeepneys and utility vehicle express services.