INSTEAD of just 20 units, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 approved the application of 54 units of modern public utility jeepneys (MPUJs) to cater to both authorized persons outside of residence (Apor) and healthcare workers in Cebu for free under the second scheme of the free ride service contracting program.
LTFRB 7 Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. said these additional units started operating on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.
Of these MPUJs, six units follow the Guadalupe to Ayala route and vice versa; four units are for the Guadalupe to Carbon route and vice versa; 10 units for the Talisay City to Cebu City route and vice versa; 10 units for the Tabunok to Cebu City route and vice versa; 10 units for the Banawa to Panagdait route and vice versa; and another 10 units for the Cebu City Hall to Cebu IT Park route and vice versa.
Montealto said the payout for the drivers and operators serving under the program has been arranged and will be done weekly.
He said the LTFRB 7 is still open to applications for further validation.
The government gives an incentive of P45 per kilometer for MPUJs and about P80 per kilometer for public utility buses that serve under this program, in which 30 percent of the incentive goes to the driver while the remaining 70 percent goes to the operator.
The LTFRB 7 had deployed 10 Ceres buses to exclusively ferry healthcare workers in Cebu, and three more buses in Bohol.
In January 2021, the LTFRB 7 also deployed buses that catered only to healthcare workers for free while the rest of the passengers still had to pay.
Under that scheme, the drivers are given an P11 incentive per kilometer covered while the payment of the rest of the passengers goes to the operators. (WBS)