Tuesday, October 21, 2008 'All Aboard' offered to ply the northern area By Joy Romares-Sevilla
THE Davao City Council committee chair on energy, transportation and communications said the All Aboard Transport Services was offered to develop routes in the northern part of Davao City.
Councilor Pilar Braga, council's committee chair, said during Monday's edition of the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao that the Traffic Management and Control Board (TMCB) has recommended that All Aboard can also apply for permit to operate in the developmental routes.
"All Aboard was offered to lessen its units that ply to the southern part because a lot of people are not serviced enough in the northern part. Right now, there are 20 units of the All Aboard," Braga said, adding that the volume of van units is mostly serving Calinan and Toril areas.
She added that should the All Aboard take the offer, it should apply for a permit to operate and that its franchise should be reviewed.
All Aboard's operation was suspended for ten days after some existing transport cooperatives in Calinan and Toril districts complained that All Aboard van drivers are picking up passengers in the areas, aside from those that have been booked earlier as part of a tour service.
"They should follow based on the provisions of their franchise, they are not allowed to compete with the public utility jeepneys (PUJs)," Braga said.
All Aboard started out as a van-for-hire for anyone who wants to go on a city tour. However, in the past months, it has been operating more like a regular passenger utility vehicle even though it does not have a franchise for these routes.
