AFTER years of waiting, Cebu City commuters will finally get to try the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT). Partial operations for the new transport system will officially begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 13, 2026. While the rollout brings modern buses to the city streets, officials are still deciding if the first riders will get to travel for free.
Where will the buses go?
The initial rollout will use the completed Package 1 corridor. This 2.38-kilometer stretch runs from the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT) on N. Bacalso Avenue to Osmeña Boulevard near the Capitol building.
However, the actual buses will run a longer route from Il Corso at the South Road Properties all the way to Cebu IT Park in Barangay Apas. Because dedicated bus lanes are only finished in the Package 1 area, the buses will still share the road with regular traffic for parts of the trip.
City Councilor Winston Pepito, chairman of the committee on transportation, said that the section towards the Capitol building does not have bus stops yet. Currently, stops are only available from the terminal to Fuente Osmeña. Because of this shared setup, Pepito said commuters may not yet feel the full speed and efficiency of a true BRT system.
Limited Buses and Possible Free Rides
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) approved 30 modern buses for the system, but only 17 are ready to hit the road for this initial rollout. Regular daily operations will officially kick off at 6 a.m. on Saturday, March 14, according to Mayor Nestor Archival.
The big question for many commuters is the cost. The DOTr might offer a free ride program, but the exact details are still being finalized. Archival shared his support for giving free rides for a limited number of days so the public can test the new system.
“If it’s free, that means there will be no fare collected, but the bus suppliers will still shoulder fuel expenses,” he said.
Traffic changes and no grand ceremony
To keep the new buses moving, the DOTr is closing the median lanes to regular traffic. This affects N. Bacalso Avenue from the bus terminal to Osmeña Boulevard, and continues up to the Fuente Osmeña Circle.
Authorities are advising drivers to stay in their proper lanes, follow new traffic signs, and obey ground personnel. The Cebu City Transportation Office will be on-site to ensure that only CBRT buses use the dedicated lanes.
There will be no grand ceremony to celebrate the launch. The buses will simply start running as soon as the DOTr activates the system on Friday morning.
What happens next?
The partial opening is a major step after years of delays and missed deadlines. The DOTr reports that Package 1 is now 97 percent complete. Teams are just finishing up final inspections and minor safety adjustments.
Once fully operational, the complete CBRT system is expected to carry up to 34,000 passengers a day. Transport officials say it will give commuters a more efficient travel option and help reduce congestion in key areas.
However, the project still faces financial hurdles. The World Bank recently withdrew its funding for Packages 2 and 3 because of the slow pace of construction. The National Government is now looking at other ways to pay for the rest of the project, including a public-private partnership.
Despite the funding challenges for future phases, this Friday marks a historic shift in how people move around Cebu City. Whether the ride is free or not, the start of the CBRT gives commuters their first real glimpse into the future of local public transportation. / CAV