The country is slowly shifting from Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) to General Community Quarantine (GCQ), including Cebu City.
With the transition, the most common question is the transportation. Worry not because we have here a concise on the know how of the new normal to public transport.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Guidelines
Sanitary measures:
- Wearing of face masks at all times
- Implementation of no-contact measures such as cashless payments.
- Use of thermal scanners
- Availability of alcohol and sanitizers in Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs)
- Disinfection of high-touch surfaces of vehicles
- Establishment of disinfection facilities in various public transport terminals
- Contact Tracing
- Public Utility Buses (PUBs), Modern PUVs, and UV Express will now be allowed to operate along with transport modes during Phase 1 (with limited passenger capacity)
- 1-meter social distance rule will be strictly enforced inside all PUVs and mass transport units.
- Allowed are trains and bus augmentation, taxis, TNVS, shuttle services, Point-to-Point buses, and bicycles (with limited passenger capacity) / Tricycles (subject to the approval of concerned LGU)
- Provincial buses are now allowed:
- Temporary North Bus Terminal: CityMall in Consolacion town
- Routes: Consolacion to Tabuelan, Tuburan, Bogo City, Maya in Daanbantayan, Lambusan in San Remigio via Hagnaya, and on to Bantayan Island.
- Temporary South Bus Terminal: Cebu South Coastal Road on the Lantaw Restaurant property
- Routes: Talisay City to Samboan, Balamban, Pinamungajan, Asturias, Barili, Carcar, Dumanjug, and Sibonga.
Buses & Jeepneys
Modern technology Initiatives
- Automatic fare collection system (AFCS) – for cashless payment transactions, electronic toll collection, and GNSS/GPS.
- Online transactions in licensing, registration, and other documentary requirements.
- LTFRB’s Public Transport Online Processing System (PTOPS) – allows transactions to be made online, except the publication and hearing of cases—which will make LTFRB services faster and accessible for all its stakeholders. (will run in NCR starting June 1, 2020)
‘NEW NORMAL’ Institutional changes
- Routes Rationalization – for more effective traffic management;
- Industry Consolidation – to make it more efficient and financially tenable for stakeholders;
- The use of shuttle services – to prevent students and employees from contracting the virus will also be encouraged;
- Promotion of the use of non-motorized transport/use of bicycles- to maintain physical distancing, provide environmental and health benefits, and promote efficient road space use.
