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LTFRB resumes pre-pandemic routes for PUVs

December 29, 2022 Jun I. Legaspi 262 views

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Thursday ordered the resumption of operations of several pre-pandemic routes of public utility vehicles (PUVS) to ensure sufficient and reliable public land transportation service as mobility restrictions continue to ease up.

In Memorandum Circular No. 2022-084, the LTFRB ordered the resumption of operations of both traditional and modernized public utility jeepney services, including utility vehicle (UV) express services, within the Metro Manila Urban Transportation Integration Study Update and Capacity Enhancement Program (MUCEP) area on their original routes before the pandemic.

According to Joel Bolano, LTFRB Technical Division chief, with the resumption of public transport operations in their original, pre-pandemic routes, commuting will become “easier and more convenient for the riding public.”

He added that an additional 28 routes will also be opened to cover areas within the National Capital Region (NCR), such as Manila, Parañaque, Makati, Pasay, Marikina, Pasig, Makati, and Quezon City.

LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III said mobility restrictions had been slowly easing up as more people go to places for work or leisure, and more students will now undergo full face-to-face class mode next year. This is why the LTFRB decided to bring back the PUV routes before the pandemic to their original routes and, at the same time, opened a few others.

“We have anticipated that there will be increased demand in public transportation, hence the opening of more routes to meet that demand. It took a while to assess everything based on existing public health protocols and we hope the reverting of these routes to their old structures will provide the riding public more convenience in reaching their destinations,” Guadiz added.

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