GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The 40-meter long Hybrid Electric Road Train (HERT) developed by Filipino engineers from Department of Science and Technology Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) is expecting to hit the highways of General Santos City this October after its trial run in Cebu City last February 2017.
This train consists of 5 interlinked air-conditioned coaches and can hold up to 240 passengers per trip. It is expected to provide technological solutions to urban transport concerns like traffic congestion, of which General Santos City is currently facing.
It is mainly designed for roads and not for rails, thus HERT only run a maximum speed of 50kph.
DOST regional office, thru its Regional Director Dr. Zenaida Hadji Raof Laidan, further extends support and commitment in the implementation of the road project in the region, as the office ties up with GenSan LGU and DOST MIRDC.
“As part of the preparation of its implementation in General Santos City, DOST MIRDC conducted series of route-assessment and ocular inspection to ensure viability of using the road train in main roads of the city” said Dr. Laidan.
Based on the initial route assessment survey, HERT will initially start at Barangay Katangawan as it passes through Lagao Public Market, the national highway and the city’s circumferential road going to Gensan Fish Port
“Aside from serving a huge number of daily commuters around the city, HERT also advocates a greener-use of technology as it is powered by electric batteries instead of solely diesel fuel thus creating lesser carbon emission,” she added.
This road train project is being deployed for trial runs to ensure that it meets the standards prior to its complete rollout to urban cities. The field testing of HERT in the roads of General Santos City may ease the burden of daily commuters, if the city will adopt the technology upon the completion of the trial run. DOST Secretary Fortunato T. De La Peña agrees to donate HERT if it is viable and is effective to decongest main roads of GenSan. (DOST)
