The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is monitoring UV Express trips after more than three months of suspension in operations to immediately assess whether it will add or reduce the number of the said public vehicles on the road.
Each passenger in terminals has undergone temperature check, sanitation, and provided basic information for contact tracing. Markers were also placed in queues for physical distancing.
Some personnel admitted that many passengers have complaints due to stringent health protocols.
In a terminal in EDSA, long queues were caused by traffic jams and limited UV Express units for the EDSA Starmall-Binangonan and EDSA Starmall-Cardona routes. Due to the higher volume of passengers compared to available vehicles, the interval of each trip takes almost two hours.
The PNP has joined the LTO, LTFRB and MMDA to monitor the situation to ensure safe and organized UV Express trips. Inspections have also been conducted in 47 terminals.
Meanwhile, Malacaῆang reiterated that there is no increase in fares for the UV Express and the Php 2.00 per kilometer scheme will be observed.
“Depende po sa dami ng pasahero, kung kukulangin ang operasyon ng 980 UV Express, sinabi ng LTFRB na maaari nilang payagan ang mas marami pang modern jeepneys at traditional jeepneys na roadworthy (Depending on the number of passengers, if the operation of 980 UV Express is not enough, the LTFRB said it might allow more modern jeepneys and roadworthy traditional jeepneys to ply the routes),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said. – Report from Ryan Lesigues
