The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) expects at least 8,000 unconsolidated jeepney operators to join the government’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program in November.
Last week, LTFRB reopened the application for the consolidation program for 45 days, from October 15 until November 29, in response to the Senate request and in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive.
To date, LTFRB has received over 700 applications, including at least 500 jeepney operators from Region 4 and 200 from Metro Manila, Teofilo Guadiz III, LTFRB chairman, said at the interview at PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
The consolidation rate is currently 83.5 percent, Guadiz added, as he anticipates at least 8,000 to 10,000 more jeepney operators to join during the final extension of the PUV consolidation program.
“We anticipate at least 8,000 who will be joining the program,” he said.
Meanwhile, Guadiz assured the additional 45 days will be the final extension of the program to give a chance to those who failed to take part in the consolidation last April.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) data as of April showed the PUV consolidation reached 83.38 percent, or 159,862 out of the total 191,730 baseline units have successfully consolidated nationwide.
The DOTr is on track to fully implement the Public Transportation Modernization Program, with the route rationalization set to be completed by 2026 and the jeepney modernization to start by 2027.
The program’s next phase is the route rationalization or Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP). DOTr and LTFRB are working with local government units to finalize the number of vehicles that will be allowed per route. This will be finished in two years.
The LPTRP details the route network, mode and required number of PUVs per mode for delivering land transport service, which shall be the minimum requirement prescribed for the issuance of PUV franchises.
In a related development, LTFRB has issued special permits to address the anticipated surge in passengers this coming Undas.
As of yesterday, LTFRB said 1,200 buses were given special permits to routes going to Cagayan and Laoang, Guadiz said.
