‘CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Prototype models of the electric version of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) are expected to arrive in this city and will be road-tested for public use, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-10 (LTFRB-10) Regional Director Aminoden Guro said.
The electric or solar-powered jeepneys, more commonly known as “e-jeepneys,” will showcase how the vehicles operate for the appreciation of the riding public, as well asPUJ operators and drivers, Guro said.
“The modernization program is now a reality. People will see for themselves how efficient and convenience these e-jeeps are,” Guro said.
He said One Team, the private entity that acquired the e-jeepneys, is already operating on initial stages in Marikina City, with Cagayan de Oro as one of its pilot areas in the country.
Each unit costs more than a million peso and can be acquired through a loan scheme at Land Bank.
Guro said One Team will bring in 15 e-jeepneys, which are equipped with global positioning system (GPS), air conditioning system, wi-fi connection, dashcams, and payment terminals. Each unit is also furnished with a ramp for persons with disabilities.
The proposed route for the e-jeepneys, which can accommodate more than 20 passengers, starits from Barangay Puerto, this city, to Barangay Igpit, in Opol town, passing through the newly opened coastal road.
Guro said the e-jeepney route proposal is now pending at the city council of Cagayan de Oro, and is incorporated into the comprehensive route plan of the city’s Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA).
He said the LTFRB-10 has also conducted information campaign to notify operators and drivers of dilapidated jeepneys, especially those that are operating for 15 years or more, that they will be facing legal sanctions if fail to comply with the government’s PUV modernization program. (Jigger J. Jerusalem/PNA)
