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Roperos: Pity the commuters
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SubscribeALL maybe well with the world and the city as 2009 began moving forward on its first month, but I think it is not so with commuters that take v-hire vehicles between my hometown and Cebu City. Instead of city’s traffic authorities going out of their way to make travel between the city and various points in the province easy, it is making it inconvenient and more expensive.
I am talking of the recently initiated GT Express project (Garage to Terminal), specifying unloading points.
There are only about 50 vehicles that ply the transcentral highway route daily, and certainly these units could not add congestion from JY Square to the One Citilink terminal along Bacalso Ave., passing through part of Gorordo Ave., then to Escario St. to the Provincial Capitol, then to Fuente Osmena, and V. Rama Ave. The GT Express route directs vehicles to climb the foot hills behind Capitol, passing through narrow streets.
That is okay if the narrow two-way traffic route uphill does not get congested, and if all the passengers all go to the downtown area in the vicinity of the terminal. But many of passengers go to the Social Security System office along Gorordo and Escario Sts. or to the Ayala and SM malls. Alighting on Gorordo Ave. or Escario St. would be time-saving since jeepneys are available there, as well as cost saving.
In my case, I live in the vicinity of Escario St. and Gorordo Ave. I get off either on JY Square or in the vicinity of the Capitol. If I have cargo, I take a cab or a jeepney. This is not really my point, as my concern is in the wisdom of such Citom project.
On top of this, the v-hire vehicles’ fare was hiked to P120 per passenger when gasoline prices soared weeks before. It was supposed to be an LFTRB-sanctioned move.
When the gasoline price per liter went down, the fare also went down to P110, supposedly in order to maintain the passenger capacity at three per seat with four on the back seat. But surprise, surprise: the v-hires now load four to a seat, while the fare is still P110!
This is not really overloading per se, yet the commuters are paying an extra P10 to avoid it. Where is fairness here?
If it is not unfair to the eyes of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LFTRB) and the traffic enforcers of the city, I do not know what is. And I thought all along, the government of this republic exists to protect public interest. If so, why is the LFTRB or Citom allowing this crucifixion of the commuters, pray tell?
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I would like to add that
I would like to add that jeepneys going to Lapu-lapu City and other northern routes such as Liloan, Compostela, and Danao still put extra seats on the center. I think this is a violation of overloading and an inconvenience to commuters. For jeepneys inside Cebu City, they stop even if the traffic light is green, which means go, just to get extra passengers. The drivers should be told that aside from earning money, they are also doing public service and should serve well.
Let me just add that there are lots of drivers and conductors of PUJs and buses who are smoking inside the vehicle while driving. They should be apprehended and fined to teach them a lesson.