PITX opened to 20 new routes

By Alexandria Dennise San Juan The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) are set to open 20 new routes at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) in a bid to improve the flow of public transport in the area. The LTFRB has issued on Wednesday a memorandum based on the directive of the DOTr to open new routes for PITX and augment existing PUVs serving the recently opened landport. Under LTFRB Memorandum Circular No. 2019-005, the Board has designated 10 new routes for passenger buses, two for UV Express, and eight for Class 2 public utility jeepneys, which should all be compliant to the PUV modernization program. The new routes to be launched soon are: PUB • PITX – Ternate • PITX – Alfonso/Mendez • PITX – Palapala, Dasmariñas • PITX – Silang, Cavite • PITX – Tagaytay City • PITX – Cavite City • PITX – Indang • PITX – Manggahan, General Trias • PITX – Lancaster New City • PITX – Nasugbu via Ternate UV Express Van/Class 3 PUJ • PITX – Alabang • PITX – Tanza Class 2 PUJ • PITX – Bayan Luma, Imus • PITX – Alabang • PITX – Tanza • PITX – Bicutan via East Service Road • PITX – Bicutan via West Service Road • PITX – Sucat via Sucat Avenue • PITX – Blumentritt • PITX – Bacoor Based on the memorandum, LTFRB set standards in line with the PUVMP for units to be given franchise on new routes. For PUB, units should be single deck, with Euro 4 or better emission standard, low floor, 'at least two doors, air-conditioned, with CCTV, dashboard camera, free WiFi, and automatic fare collection system. For UV Express, only units that comply with the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines (OFG) will be accepted, while Class 2 or 3 PUJ units must comply with OFG standards and the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Philippine Standards (DTI-BPS). The 12 pages MC also stated that each route will only be issued to a single applicant. The selected applicant must prepare a minimum of 25% of the required units for the route within three months from the release of the Notice of Selection; minimum 50% of required units within six months; and complete fleet within nine months of the Notice of Selection "However, since LTFRB recognizes, in the guidance of the DOTr, that the possible applicants in the new route can not immediately prepare PUVMP-compliant units, MC 2019-005 sets rules for the Interim Service," the Board said. Under the Interim Service, the applicant must choose to operate within 15 days from the Notice of Selection with 2/3 of the required units per route. The applicant may use its own units, or leased or chartered units from another operator, manufacturer or dealer. For Interim Service units, only PUB units with no more than five years sign and UV Express unit with no more than three years marks will be allowed to travel on new routes. The transportation agencies maintained that the new MC "benefits from a thorough study of government transport agencies to meet the needs of commuters using PITX." "It also follows the main transformational initiative of the Duterte administration - the PUVMP - to fully deliver safe, orderly, and convenient trips to Filipinos using environmentally friendly PUVs," the DOTr and LTFRB said in a statement. The MC signed by LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III and Board Member Ronaldo Corpus will be effective immediately upon publication.#