CATERED passengers of the Peak Hours Augmentation Bus Service (Phabs) are satisfied with the augmented bus service, based on a survey conducted by the Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO).
Phabs, which was implemented last week of February this year, was augmented by the City Government of Davao in response to the increasing demand for more public transportation options during peak hours in the city, particularly in areas of Toril and Catalunan Grande.
The bus service starts at 6:30 a.m. and ends at 9 a.m. for the morning phase, and resumes at 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the evening phase.
Since it was implemented, it received positive feedback especially from passengers living in the area.
CTTMO head Dionisio Abude said Thursday, June 27, during the iSpeak media forum at the City Hall of Davao that the survey was conducted by the traffic agency.
Abude said respondents of the survey were initially conducted inside the bus wherein the respondents are the passengers themselves.
But he said a public utility jeepney (PUJ) operator questioned why CTTMO did not conduct a survey among passengers in jeepney terminals in Toril and Catalunan Grande.
"Katong giraise ni siya, niuyon man sab ato (Assistant) City Administrator na si Dwight Domingo sa suggestion. Mao to giconduct sab namo ang survey didtoa (When it was raised, Assistant City Administrator Dwight Domingo was open to the suggestion, hence, we conducted the survey there as well)," Abude said.
The city surveyed 1,200 Phabs passengers and 1,200 PUJ passengers in terminals.
The survey asked three different questions from respondents.
First question asked was "Are you in favor of having bus as the main transportation in the city over PUJs?" The survey showed that 93 percent from Phabs passengers are in favor, while 72 percent from the PUJ riders agreed.
When passengers were asked if they are willing to pay high fare for a comfortable and safe bus riding, 78 percent of Phabs passengers and 66 percent from the PUJ riders agreed.
When asked if they are in favor to have Phabs deployed 24 hours a day, it received 93 percent and 72 percent favorable response from Phabs riders and PUJ riders, respectively.
Abude said the survey result is already with the City Administrator's Office and will then be submitted to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
"Mao ni ginapaabot sa company (Mindanao Star) na muserbisyo na dungagan ang bus tungod ani na data (This will be the basis of the bus company for the basis of additionally deploying buses to cater more passenger)," he said.