RP's 9th LRT system eyed for Cebu
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2007 | TRANSPORTATION


MANILA (PNA) - If plans don't miscarry, Cebu will soon have a modern, efficient and reliable light rail transit (LRT) system to keep pace with rapid population growth and economic expansion.

Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas has filed House Bill 310, seeking the establishment of the province's first LRT system, in order to ease heavy motor vehicle traffic congestion in one of the country's fastest-growing urban hubs.

"There is no question Cebu desperately needs a fast, safe, convenient and economical LRT system," Gullas, a former Cebu provincial governor, said.

"This is the best time for the government to invest in a new LRT system for Cebu, with the peso strengthening against the US dollar," Gullas said.

"Two years ago, it would have cost us P55 billion to put together a US$ 1-billion LRT system. Now, it would cost us only P46 billion to put up the same project," he added.

Gullas' initiative came as the national government prepared to reinforce Cebu's infrastructure support under the Central Philippines Investment Program.

Under the program, Malacañang approved some P60.8-billion worth of fresh public infrastructure spending for Cebu up to 2010.

Of the amount, more than half or P33 billion would be initially allocated for the proposed Metro Cebu Mass Transportation System (MCMTS), thus matching Gullas' initiative.

The MCMTS involves the construction of a modern railway network from Talisay City to the Municipality of Consolacion for the first phase, and from Talisay to Carcar City and Consolacion to Danao City for the second phase.

The system would be the country's ninth and the first outside Metro Manila, which now has eight LRT channels that are either fully operational, under construction, or in the drawing boards.

Under Gullas' bill, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) would be required to prepare and execute a plan to establish and operate the new LRT system.

The DOTC actually already has an initial plan to build a US$ 1-billion LRT system for Metro Cebu.

The department earlier forged a build-operate-transfer agreement with the AMA Group of Holdings Corp. for the construction of a 71-kilometer, three-phased LRT system that would run through Metro Cebu from Carcar in the south to Danao in the north.

However, project execution has been stalled, as the DOTC has found it difficult to get lower offers from other private contractors.

Meanwhile, the Central Philippines Investment Program also includes P18.88 billion for Cebu's seaports; P6.3 billion for Central Visayas' roads and bridges; P1.9 billion for the region's tourism infrastructure; and P749 million for airports. (PNA)

DCT/PR/rsm

RP's 9th LRT system eyed for Cebu
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2007 | TRANSPORTATION


MANILA (PNA) - If plans don't miscarry, Cebu will soon have a modern, efficient and reliable light rail transit (LRT) system to keep pace with rapid population growth and economic expansion.

Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas has filed House Bill 310, seeking the establishment of the province's first LRT system, in order to ease heavy motor vehicle traffic congestion in one of the country's fastest-growing urban hubs.

"There is no question Cebu desperately needs a fast, safe, convenient and economical LRT system," Gullas, a former Cebu provincial governor, said.

"This is the best time for the government to invest in a new LRT system for Cebu, with the peso strengthening against the US dollar," Gullas said.

"Two years ago, it would have cost us P55 billion to put together a US$ 1-billion LRT system. Now, it would cost us only P46 billion to put up the same project," he added.

Gullas' initiative came as the national government prepared to reinforce Cebu's infrastructure support under the Central Philippines Investment Program.

Under the program, Malacañang approved some P60.8-billion worth of fresh public infrastructure spending for Cebu up to 2010.

Of the amount, more than half or P33 billion would be initially allocated for the proposed Metro Cebu Mass Transportation System (MCMTS), thus matching Gullas' initiative.

The MCMTS involves the construction of a modern railway network from Talisay City to the Municipality of Consolacion for the first phase, and from Talisay to Carcar City and Consolacion to Danao City for the second phase.

The system would be the country's ninth and the first outside Metro Manila, which now has eight LRT channels that are either fully operational, under construction, or in the drawing boards.

Under Gullas' bill, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) would be required to prepare and execute a plan to establish and operate the new LRT system.

The DOTC actually already has an initial plan to build a US$ 1-billion LRT system for Metro Cebu.

The department earlier forged a build-operate-transfer agreement with the AMA Group of Holdings Corp. for the construction of a 71-kilometer, three-phased LRT system that would run through Metro Cebu from Carcar in the south to Danao in the north.

However, project execution has been stalled, as the DOTC has found it difficult to get lower offers from other private contractors.

Meanwhile, the Central Philippines Investment Program also includes P18.88 billion for Cebu's seaports; P6.3 billion for Central Visayas' roads and bridges; P1.9 billion for the region's tourism infrastructure; and P749 million for airports. (PNA)

DCT/PR/rsm

nice one.

AMA's building it? AMA the IT school? never thought they had a construction unit. good luck then.

hope the planners plan it well, and learn from the chaotic LRT system of MM.

i heard that cebu is revising its old zoning plan. good news indeed.

Hehehe, I've read this kind of news ever since I was high school.

I hope it will push through.

^^ Oo nga,Erap's time yata yun when Cebu mass transit sytem was planned along with Davao LRT. Alam ko kasi there has been groups in Cebi dati that was Pushing for a Curitiba like rapid bus sytem for Cebu(kamukha rin siya ng transjakarta) when the supposed five year ODA planned loan was being outlined. Nagkanda letche letche yata yung initial plan na yun because the Engineers and the politicians can't decide on the actual designs and cost of the project proposals..hayun napurnada!

good news indeed, cebu deserves the LRT!!!! massive decetralization is need by putting infras outside MM :banana:

hope it would be even more grand than anywhere else in pinas. Although, underground trains i think are cooler... but i think more expensive to set up

the best ever news so far i heard this year. :banana:

It would be awesome if there would be LRT around cebu. Hopefully the whole contry will also be served by rail system as I think it is more convinient and cheaper for the masses...

It's about time! :D

^^ Yeah! Im very glad to see Cebu City's first LRT System and also at least one heavy rail system running the whole stretch of Cebu Province that will serve both passengers and especially freight and cargo service..

^^ i've read about this news today! very nice indeed!:)

RP's 9th LRT system eyed for Cebu
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2007 | TRANSPORTATION


MANILA (PNA) - If plans don't miscarry, Cebu will soon have a modern, efficient and reliable light rail transit (LRT) system to keep pace with rapid population growth and economic expansion.

Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas has filed House Bill 310, seeking the establishment of the province's first LRT system, in order to ease heavy motor vehicle traffic congestion in one of the country's fastest-growing urban hubs.

"There is no question Cebu desperately needs a fast, safe, convenient and economical LRT system," Gullas, a former Cebu provincial governor, said.

"This is the best time for the government to invest in a new LRT system for Cebu, with the peso strengthening against the US dollar," Gullas said.

"Two years ago, it would have cost us P55 billion to put together a US$ 1-billion LRT system. Now, it would cost us only P46 billion to put up the same project," he added.

Gullas' initiative came as the national government prepared to reinforce Cebu's infrastructure support under the Central Philippines Investment Program.

Under the program, Malacañang approved some P60.8-billion worth of fresh public infrastructure spending for Cebu up to 2010.

Of the amount, more than half or P33 billion would be initially allocated for the proposed Metro Cebu Mass Transportation System (MCMTS), thus matching Gullas' initiative.

The MCMTS involves the construction of a modern railway network from Talisay City to the Municipality of Consolacion for the first phase, and from Talisay to Carcar City and Consolacion to Danao City for the second phase.

The system would be the country's ninth and the first outside Metro Manila, which now has eight LRT channels that are either fully operational, under construction, or in the drawing boards.

Under Gullas' bill, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) would be required to prepare and execute a plan to establish and operate the new LRT system.

The DOTC actually already has an initial plan to build a US$ 1-billion LRT system for Metro Cebu.

The department earlier forged a build-operate-transfer agreement with the AMA Group of Holdings Corp. for the construction of a 71-kilometer, three-phased LRT system that would run through Metro Cebu from Carcar in the south to Danao in the north.

However, project execution has been stalled, as the DOTC has found it difficult to get lower offers from other private contractors.

Meanwhile, the Central Philippines Investment Program also includes P18.88 billion for Cebu's seaports; P6.3 billion for Central Visayas' roads and bridges; P1.9 billion for the region's tourism infrastructure; and P749 million for airports. (PNA)

DCT/PR/rsm

better if they build a superhighway from Daan BANTAYAN to Santander... i can't find any economic benefits Cebu will get from the LRT system because it is only station to station (only benefits Metro Cebu) and Cebu's ridership is very small (the system will be bankrupt)...

we must cut travel time going to other parts of the island to entice more investors because these is what we really need... if ever we want Cebu to be progressive we must also invest our money wisely and not just waste it just for the sake of having a system that doesn't work... :cheers: let us government closer to the people in the whole island.

You've got a point there Rage-Cebu. Actually, the Whole Philippines needs to have a real superhighway or atleast a good rail system from North to south if they can possibly do that.

For the railway system to be a wise investment, the northern and southern tips should be connected to the other Visayan islands.

For the railway system to be a wise investment, the northern and southern tips should be connected to the other Visayan islands.

we don't need a rail system sinj... not everyone can use the system, there are a lot of feasible means to transport goods and people from one place to another, and in the case of Cebu were goods are transported in a specific place and not just a station... freight trucks, buses and cars are the common types of transport which are ideal to an island province like ours...

haven't we learned from manila? the MRT/LRT system is not even earning, how much more here in Cebu... we must look further, take for example Germany's autobahn and USA Inter-state highways... they are the backbone of their economies...:)

as i have said before, we must not waste people's money on systems that won't work... we need to fully utilize our resources on something that everyone can use feasibly, economically, and suitable to our needs.

the highway system could be the backbone for Cebu's economic growth as we pursue to become the only Province-wide economic zone. :cheers:

And on a 46 billion budget... imagine how many kilometers of highways could be built on that budget.

wow somebody even propose building a tube.

why don't we build quality road first? expressways and bridges.

I think trains and other mass transport systems are better investments rather than building very expensive highways :D

I think trains and other mass transport systems are better investments rather than building very expensive highways :D

not really, just look at the MRT projects in manila. it eats millions of subsidies in a day. poor filipino taxpayers. man, you don't call that better investment do you? :bash:

it's much better that the government is tying with private sectors under the BTO scheme. just look at the quality service they provide at NLEX. ^^

I think trains and other mass transport systems are better investments rather than building very expensive highways :D

i agree with you. highways don't last long in the philippines...and we all know why.:ohno:

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/1805/transmilenyobusesofcoloid2.jpg

I think Cebu will be better off with this kind of Mass transport.Aside from being a lot more cheaper.It's more easier to build and not blocking nice views.
I hope Cebu stops copying Imperial Manila.Specially it's urban mistakes.
(Pics courtesy of Senor Pancho-Muchas gracias Senor)

^^ Nah. I think an overhead LRT is still better. They just need to find a way to keep it from completely covering the entire street AND sidewalk underneath it. I've seen it before here in Los Angeles. I don't think you would want to be in that bus in the middle of rush hour. I'm sure some idiot will go on that lane even if it was for buses only. .... and enough with the silly "imperial" Manila epithets. C'mon. Have some love with your fellow kababayans up north. Sure the capital has made its mistakes (ok.. a lot of mistakes. hahahaha) and Cebu will be able to learn from them.

^^ furthermore, most of cebu's roads are narrow... definitely not feasible for a BRT system if it were to transverse major thoroughfares that barely reach 4 lanes.

I just looked at Google Earth and it looks like Cebu will have to widen its lanes or face the same traffic problems as Manila. If most of the streets really are barely more than 4 lanes then its roads are not ready to handle a city three or more times the current population let alone handle a overhead LRT. I hope no one's house or business here is not in the way of any future road widening.

i agree with you. highways don't last long in the philippines...and we all know why.:ohno:

the only highway i know here in the philippines is NLEX because it is the best managed by a private firm... we could build it here in Cebu. :)

i agree with you. highways don't last long in the philippines...and we all know why.:ohno:

Hindi rin tumagal yung mga railways natin. Ibang lines abandoned na or napapabayaan.

the only highway i know here in the philippines is NLEX because it is the best managed by a private firm... we could build it here in Cebu. :)

we've got a lot of highways in the Philippines but not as wide as freeways in western countries...

NLEX, SLEX, Coastal Road, STAR are all tollways... not sure if there are tollways currently in Visayas and Mindanao...

i agree with @rage, Cebu needs a decent, "real" highway...that would cut the 4-hour trip to Bogo from Cebu to about an hour and a half

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/8295/metrolineawaycourtesyofcc2.jpg


Cebu is too small to have big highways.BRT's are more practical.With highways you only promote more cars,it's good if you can afford it.But if not,like most of us Cebuanos,then a comprehensive mass transpo is needed.BRT's can run on Cocodiesel or LPG's which can be a boon to the environment and air quality of Cebu,which is already choked up by private cars and jeepneys.(Let's see if those rude drivers can jump over these concrete barriers.wasak ang sasakyan mo!)

Hindi rin tumagal yung mga railways natin. Ibang lines abandoned na or napapabayaan.

you are probably referring to railways constructed before the war. if i'm not mistaken, the first railway constructed after the war is LRT1.

http://www.pnr.gov.ph/

we've got a lot of highways in the Philippines but not as wide as freeways in western countries...

NLEX, SLEX, Coastal Road, STAR are all tollways... not sure if there are tollways currently in Visayas and Mindanao...

im referring to convenience in driving these highways... it usually takes 40minutes for me to drive from balintawak to dau.... i envy the freeways abroad, it will only take 3hrs. to travel a 300km distance...

Cebu is too small to have big highways.....


Cebu is not small. And should have big highways... yun lang...

we don't need a rail system sinj... not everyone can use the system, there are a lot of feasible means to transport goods and people from one place to another, and in the case of Cebu were goods are transported in a specific place and not just a station... freight trucks, buses and cars are the common types of transport which are ideal to an island province like ours...

haven't we learned from manila? the MRT/LRT system is not even earning, how much more here in Cebu... we must look further, take for example Germany's autobahn and USA Inter-state highways... they are the backbone of their economies...:)

as i have said before, we must not waste people's money on systems that won't work... we need to fully utilize our resources on something that everyone can use feasibly, economically, and suitable to our needs.

the highway system could be the backbone for Cebu's economic growth as we pursue to become the only Province-wide economic zone. :cheers:
^^ :cheers2: Toast everyone...
yeah i think highways are better investment for cebu in the long run this is the way to connect (unite) the whole province

wala lang.....lurk lang! ah basta kung ano ang ok para sa Cebu..dun ako! MRT, LRT, BRT, Highway or Expressways.....Sana lahat yun! Widen the roads, build up expressways and decent highways, plus may MRT para mas mabilis ang transportation for Cebuanos who do not have cars like moi :)

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/8295/metrolineawaycourtesyofcc2.jpg


Cebu is too small to have big highways.BRT's are more practical.With highways you only promote more cars,it's good if you can afford it.But if not,like most of us Cebuanos,then a comprehensive mass transpo is needed.BRT's can run on Cocodiesel or LPG's which can be a boon to the environment and air quality of Cebu,which is already choked up by private cars and jeepneys.(Let's see if those rude drivers can jump over these concrete barriers.wasak ang sasakyan mo!)

Yes, we are with you. It's more practical. But then, just like what Louman mentioned. The roads around cebu are narrow, even around the business park are narrow, there are already built up and it's harder to widen it up maybe not so much with SRP area. And then, when I was in Cebu, I've noticed that the public transport drivers are as bad as manilan's, even my brother in law drives with no regards to lanes and such.

The idea of Cocodiesel or LPG is always good....

^^ Practically Cebu City layout is so old, and I think it was designed in late 19th Century.. Practically, a heavy railway system is really suitable for Cebu City. If it is easy to acquire ROW, then it's good for it but if it takes too long to do it, I suggest the government must first build an elevated railways system in the likelyhood of LRT (Megatren), not the Metrotren and not even the Oldest LRT1. Megatren is superb and can run in heavy passenger volume plus interchangeable formation of the cars. Though, Cebu also have wide avenues, LRT is simply the construction of pillars at the center of these wide avenues very much similar to the one done in Megatren....

^^ i hate railways... they are an eyesore... look at manila , it would ruin our province look.. better if they make a subway or sumthing... and put many trees around it.:lol:

unlike manila, very2x hot in manila, super congested manila,.. just visit areas near Lrt, MRt in manila... its hot hot :) lets folow skorea, singapore, hongkong, Japan the Cool Hightech Cities

Highways and rail system I'm sure it will benefit all the cebuanos as both will facilitate more growth in Cebu economy. Highways can be 4 laners just like NLEX, it will help a great deal as far as shortening the travel time. Cebu might not need superhighways about the size of San Francisco freeway because it is not as heavily populated like the latter.

^^ i hate railways... they are an eyesore... look at manila , it would ruin our province look.. better if they make a subway or sumthing... and put many trees around it.:lol:

unlike manila, very2x hot in manila, super congested manila,.. just visit areas near Lrt, MRt in manila... its hot hot :) lets folow skorea, singapore, hongkong, Japan the Cool Hightech Cities


You think LRTs are ugly? I think they really are nice looking and very modern, other developed countries have them too. Cebu city is too small to have a subway really besides, it's expensive and will take 2 or 3 times longer to dig a tunnel then build a rail system underneath, besides, the Philippines is also within the Pacific rim of fire, I'm not sure if it's really wise. Subways are really nothing to be proud of if you are to ask me. They are not really hightech. Now, if it's a monorail for Cebu, I think that would be perfect just in Cebu proper alone then Link it with other rail system leading towards different provinces of Cebu Island, if that is possible.

^^ i hate railways... they are an eyesore... look at manila , it would ruin our province look.. better if they make a subway or sumthing... and put many trees around it.:lol:

unlike manila, very2x hot in manila, super congested manila,.. just visit areas near Lrt, MRt in manila... its hot hot :) lets folow skorea, singapore, hongkong, Japan the Cool Hightech Cities

^^ We can't follow the footstep of Japan without railways. Shutdown the whole JR Rail and Japan would be in CHAOS!!!

Highways and rail system I'm sure it will benefit all the cebuanos as both will facilitate more growth in Cebu economy. Highways can be 4 laners just like NLEX, it will help a great deal as far as shortening the travel time. Cebu might not need superhighways about the size of San Francisco freeway because it is not as heavily populated like the latter.

^^ That's right, I agree with you. Railways can solve the problem in Cebu at least for the Medium Term then after that starts building a super elevated highway that can absord the massive increase in trappik in the future...

^^ I think we've got one subway plan up in Manila. The semi-confirmed Northrail Phase 4 project that would eventually bypassed all major roads by building a subway from Caloocan to Fort Bonifacio thus providing a seamless express train ride to DMIA..

oh, I doubt if that will really gonna happen. That's why they went overhead in the first place. But who knows? maybe they can go real deep underground without affecting the traffic and such at the surface.

^^ Really, the boring(tunnelling) machines of nowadays are so fast compared to decade 80's, maybe that's probably the reason why they were opted for that instead of Elevated Railway.

if you'll all take a closer look, Cebu's streets arent really that small...Jones Avenue for example is 8-lanes-wide, and N. Bacalso is a good 6-8-lanes...the real problem is the lack of discipline in most drivers

^^ scrap that MRT/LRT system if it were to be built along Jones Ave, i really don't like the idea of putting a huge concrete wall in the center of the road... even if we design it like those of our neighboring neighbors we will still end up having a dirty, expensive, chaotic, and bankrupt system all because of government red tape, corruption, and lack of self-discipline. MODERNITY? I don't think it is a good answer...

^^i didnt mention anything about building an LRT line along Jones...but i'm with you in opposing that...for now, a BRT would be the practical choice...and should the demand for a more efficient system come--LRT, MRT, or subway--we could always sell the buses to some other Philippine city that would benefit from them, then put the new system where the buses used to be

If you look at Google Earth, the road leading to the Capitol Building in Cebu is not consistent in its number of lanes. Apparently, the closer you get to the Capitol Building, the more lanes there are. I think it goes from 4 lanes, then to 6, and maybe to 8.

I've seen the roads in Cebu or atleast at Jones Ave. It may have 6 to 8 lanes but the actual width size is still narrow. Although there is a road there going towards Minglanila that is wider, probably because it was built in the latter years unlike Jones that been there for a long long time.

if you'll all take a closer look, Cebu's streets arent really that small...Jones Avenue for example is 8-lanes-wide, and N. Bacalso is a good 6-8-lanes...the real problem is the lack of discipline in most drivers

^^ It might be that case but trains are well designed to sharp curves. Im possitive that it is not impossible to set a mass transport in Cebu and they must initiate it now...

you are probably referring to railways constructed before the war. if i'm not mistaken, the first railway constructed after the war is LRT1.

http://www.pnr.gov.ph/

Before and after. Ang tinutukoy ko kasi mejo off topic, about sa maintenance ng railways natin. Halos same lang sya sa comment mo about our Highways.

Dodong nakasakay ka na ba sa LRT1 or MRT3? Pag naranasan mo na sumakay, alam mo na rin kung ano tinutukoy ko. LRT2 mejo napapabayaan na rin pero OKx pa naman.

Maybe the Cebu government would privatize the LRT system in Cebu so that hopefully, it will be well kept and maintained. I don't know if that is possible. Looking at BRT system, it will not be too bad to have it in Cebu, especially if that can be modified a little bit where there would be an extra car behind that can be pulled just like a train. On the whole Island of Cebu including Mactan Island, I can see how an rail system will benefit the whole region so hopefully all you guy's suggestion would be realized as I don't think none of them were all a bad idea...

I think Cebu could build a purple-line like LRT system (although I believe ito ang pinakainutil na line ng LRT because marami namang Jeepneys na nagpapass-by sa area, which renders this a piece of weirdness and white elephant.

Underground Railway System would be the best solution......

^^Although I do not agree entirely, it would be a good long-term solution. But let us fix our sewage/drainage system first.

the sewers can be fixed/constructed together with the construction of the subway...but that would be very expensive...not to mention the cost of maintaining it, especially when it rains...

Before and after. Ang tinutukoy ko kasi mejo off topic, about sa maintenance ng railways natin. Halos same lang sya sa comment mo about our Highways.

Dodong nakasakay ka na ba sa LRT1 or MRT3? Pag naranasan mo na sumakay, alam mo na rin kung ano tinutukoy ko. LRT2 mejo napapabayaan na rin pero OKx pa naman.

yeah, 8 years ako dyan at kaaalis ko lang. LRT1 sinasakyan ko papuntang opisina at MRT pag namamasyal ako sa cubao. ok pa rin yan. at least, umabot ng 23 years ang LRT1 at 8 years ang MRT3. kung highway pa ang MRT3, isang malakas na ulan pa lang, malamang may mga butas na kinabukasan yan dahil sa baha at sa laki ng mga sasakyan na dumadaan dyan sa EDSA.

BTW, was there a railway construction after the war and before LRT1? As fas as I know, the railway from dagupan to manila was constructed in 1892 and the extension railways from dagupan to la union and manila to legaspi were constructed in 1916. branch lines within central luzon and metro manila were also constructed in 1916.

^^ basta para saken Luma na mga metro lines natin except LRT2.

nakasakay na ko ug train dinhi sa Cebu...naa sa SM :D

^^ :lol: I like that ride.

BTW, was there a railway construction after the war and before LRT1? As fas as I know, the railway from dagupan to manila was constructed in 1892 and the extension railways from dagupan to la union and manila to legaspi were constructed in 1916. branch lines within central luzon and metro manila were also constructed in 1916.

What year was the Carmona branchline built?
IIRC this was a Marcos project and ws the last MRR/PNR branchline to be built thus far.

Brad

^^

If ever there's going to be an MRT/LRT in Cebu, it's actually just going to be a revival of the old Philippine Railway line.

So it's actually pointless to talk about the narrow interior roads of the city, hehehe.. :D

It would be a revival in the sense that the proposed MRT/LRT will follow the same old line and will still connect the same towns that it served before (from Carcar City in the south passing by the cities of Talisay, Cebu and Mandaue and all the way up north to Danao city).

The MRT/LRT is actually not bad. It's just providing us with an alternative to be efficient.



Trivia to local residents:

Actually, we still have functioning railways in Cebu. They're at a sugar plantation in Medellin, Cebu. I saw one carrying loads of sugar cane! There's also a railroad crossing at the highway going to San Remigio town and trains do still cross there even today. Hehehe..




..

The Philippine Railway in Cebu (circa 1944)

- my venerable uncle told me that the Central Station was once at the site where EMALL is right now.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b396/arnoldsa/oldceburailway.jpg

^

It would be a revival in the sense that the proposed MRT/LRT will follow the same old line and will still connect the same towns that it served before (from Carcar City in the south passing by the cities of Talisay, Cebu and Mandaue and all the way up north to Danao city).

Actually, we still have functioning railways in Cebu. They're at a sugar plantation in Medellin, Cebu. I saw one carrying loads of sugar cane! There's also a railroad crossing at the highway going to San Remigio town and trains do still cross there even today. Hehehe..

..

Just a couple of questions.

1) Is much of the original railway formation still vacant of buildings?

2) How long ago did you see this sugar train for the Medellin Mill? I was under the impression they had dumped rail. If not, then Cebu may well be on the list for my next trip.

3) What do the trains aul through this crossing in San Remingo? Is this for the Medellin Mill as well?

Thanks
Brad

BTW, was there a railway construction after the war and before LRT1? As fas as I know, the railway from dagupan to manila was constructed in 1892 and the extension railways from dagupan to la union and manila to legaspi were constructed in 1916. branch lines within central luzon and metro manila were also constructed in 1916.

I can finally answer this in the afirmative.
The branchline to Carmona was opened in 1973, April 1st to be exact.
This thus predates the LRT.

It was recently pointed out to me as being important as it is 'currently' the only remaining railway in Cavite province.

Brad

Just a couple of questions.

1) Is much of the original railway formation still vacant of buildings?

2) How long ago did you see this sugar train for the Medellin Mill? I was under the impression they had dumped rail. If not, then Cebu may well be on the list for my next trip.

3) What do the trains aul through this crossing in San Remingo? Is this for the Medellin Mill as well?

Thanks
Brad

The railways in the city are long gone although I still saw some (sometime 1996, I was still grade six then) including a railway bridge in the southern part of Cebu. The question is if they still exist right now.

Regarding the sugar train in Medellin, the last time I saw a functioning one was in 2003 when we went to a beach resort there.

Actually the highway cuts through the sugar plantation thus the crossing with that "X" sign that looks like a stoplight, hehe..


..

The railways in the city are long gone although I still saw some (sometime 1996, I was still grade six then) including a railway bridge in the southern part of Cebu. The question is if they still exist right now.

Regarding the sugar train in Medellin, the last time I saw a functioning one was in 2003 when we went to a beach resort there.

Actually the highway cuts through the sugar plantation thus the crossing with that "X" sign that looks like a stoplight, hehe..


..

Thanks for this.
Would it be easy to relay the tracks in the same place again or has it all been built over?
If built over, I wonder if it was done legally or its a 'informal settler' type situation as in Manila.

Thanks
Brad

BUS RAPIT TRANSIT TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY DECEMBER
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2007/09/12/news/bus.system.by.december.mayor.html


EVEN if he suffers politically, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants to set up the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in the Banilad-Talamban corridor as soon as possible to reduce traffic there.

Osmeña said that if they can put everything in place by December, including the buses, the City Government may start implementing it by the end of the year.

The mayor said the Banilad-Talamban stretch will be the pilot travel line, where 20 air-conditioned Kaohsiung buses will service the commuters during the initial operations.

City Hall will operate the BRT itself but will eventually bid out the project to private investors, who will also have to provide the buses.

Osmeña said it is about time the City implements the transport system that has helped Curitiba, Brazil address its traffic problems and improve the quality of life of its citizens for 30 years now.

“We’re going to try to implement this in the Banilad-Talamban corridor in less than one year so we can eventually remove the cars and jeepneys from the roads. I’m going to exercise political will on this because very clearly, status quo is not acceptable anymore,” said the mayor.

Consulted

In his news conference yesterday, Osmeña assured that the students of schools in the Banilad and Talamban areas will be consulted when the City identifies bus stops.

Jeepneys will still be allowed to ply the Banilad-Talamban route during the initial stages of operations but will not be allowed to stop on the designated BRT bus stops.

But once the operations are in full swing, jeepneys will not be allowed to ply the route.

“Once it is fully implemented, there will be no more jeepneys there. If we can implement this by Christmas, fine. We have to have a working model for everyone to understand and in the future, we will have the private sector run it,” said Osmeña.

A BRT system works like the train system but uses buses instead of train coaches and bus lanes instead of train tracks. It is also cheaper to operate.

Stairless

The buses are stairless and passengers pay at the specially designed bus stops.

As in Curitiba, the mayor said there will be lanes that will be dedicated solely for the buses. The Curitiba BRT uses up to five bi-articulate buses connected by bolts.

When asked how much the system will cost, the mayor said in jest: “Fifty thousand votes for BO-PK.” He expects city-wide opposition to the plan, but said he will do it anyway to solve the congestion problems in the city.

“We are not doing this for profit so if we have to subsidize it, we will subsidize the operations at least during the early stage. We have to transfer the passengers to the buses to minimize the number of vehicles on the road,” he said.

Debate looms on transport system (http://www.mb.com.ph/PROV20070912102767.html)



By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.

CEBU CITY — A debate on what is the best public transport system in Metro Cebu is shaping up.


The Cebu Provincial Board is set to pass a resolution in support of a bill filed by Cebu 1st District Rep. Eduardo Gullas to establish a rail system in the province similar to the Light Rail Transit (LRT) System in Metro Manila to solve the city’s perennial traffic problems.

The move of the Provincial Board came on the heels of reports that the Cebu City government is also eyeing the establishment of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system for Cebu City as a mode of public transportation, also to address traffic problems.

Guillas had the measure to construct an LRT system in Metro Cebu, also noting that "now is the perfect time to build an LRT system because of the increasing value of the peso against the dollar.

In support of Guillas’ measure, Board Member Juan Bolo the LRT is the perfect solution to the worsening traffic problem in Metro Cebu that has been the result of rapid population increase, attributed mainly to migration.

Bolo also said he believes the LRT system will also provide a convenient form of travel that could be enjoyed by Cebuanos and its migrants.

In his measure filed in Congress, Guillas said Cebu desperately needed a fast, safe and economical LRT system in order to ease heavy motor vehicle traffic congestion.

"There is no question that Cebu desperately needs a fast, safe, convenient and economical LRT system. This is the best time for the government to invest in such a mass transport project in Cebu, with the peso strengthening against the US dollar," Gullas earlier said.

He said two years ago, a -billion LRT line would have cost P55 billion. "Now, it would cost us only P46 billion to put up the same project," he added.

Gullas’ initiative came as the national government prepared to reinforce Cebu’s infrastructure support under the Central Philippines Investment Program.

Under the program, Malacañang approved P60.8-billion infrastructure spending program for Cebu up to 2010.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City government is also eyeing the establishment of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system for Cebu City as a mode of public transportation, also to solve the worsening traffic problem here.

Cebu City Planning and Development Officer Nagiel Paul Villarete said City Hall wants to establish a BRT system in the northern corridor particularly along the eight-kilometer Gov. Cuenco Avenue.

Villarete said there is a need to widen the four-lane Gov. Cuenco Avenue to six lanes to make it feasible for BRT operations.

The BRT has been adopted in some American, Latin American and Asian countries. It involves segregated bus lanes with stations along the routes. The bus lanes are exclusively for the BRT units’ use.

It also features pre-board fare collection and fare verification, restricted operator access, and "clean bus" technologies. As an advantage over railways, it can be constructed in 12 to 18 months and costs less.

A railway transit, on the other hand, could take three to 30 years to complete and could cost -0 million per kilometer.

^^I'd rather have a BRT system than an LRT network, but if subways were in the picture... hmm. :)

In my opinion, BRTs first as it is the faster solution to implement, then LRTs, using underground routes in the denser areas, and above grade in suburban areas.

I think anything that is well planned and feasible for Cebu is always welcomed. All of it will really bring progress in that region.

for long term solution.... i go for subways....

Is this really true.Is Cebu going to be the first city in the Phil. to have a BRT?WoW!





http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/1805/transmilenyobusesofcoloid2.jpghttp://BUS RAPIT TRANSIT TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY DECEMBER
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2007/09/12/news/bus.system.by.december.mayor.html


EVEN if he suffers politically, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants to set up the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in the Banilad-Talamban corridor as soon as possible to reduce traffic there.

Osmeña said that if they can put everything in place by December, including the buses, the City Government may start implementing it by the end of the year.

The mayor said the Banilad-Talamban stretch will be the pilot travel line, where 20 air-conditioned Kaohsiung buses will service the commuters during the initial operations.

City Hall will operate the BRT itself but will eventually bid out the project to private investors, who will also have to provide the buses.

Osmeña said it is about time the City implements the transport system that has helped Curitiba, Brazil address its traffic problems and improve the quality of life of its citizens for 30 years now.

“We’re going to try to implement this in the Banilad-Talamban corridor in less than one year so we can eventually remove the cars and jeepneys from the roads. I’m going to exercise political will on this because very clearly, status quo is not acceptable anymore,” said the mayor.

Consulted

In his news conference yesterday, Osmeña assured that the students of schools in the Banilad and Talamban areas will be consulted when the City identifies bus stops.

Jeepneys will still be allowed to ply the Banilad-Talamban route during the initial stages of operations but will not be allowed to stop on the designated BRT bus stops.

But once the operations are in full swing, jeepneys will not be allowed to ply the route.

“Once it is fully implemented, there will be no more jeepneys there. If we can implement this by Christmas, fine. We have to have a working model for everyone to understand and in the future, we will have the private sector run it,” said Osmeña.

A BRT system works like the train system but uses buses instead of train coaches and bus lanes instead of train tracks. It is also cheaper to operate.

Stairless

The buses are stairless and passengers pay at the specially designed bus stops.

As in Curitiba, the mayor said there will be lanes that will be dedicated solely for the buses. The Curitiba BRT uses up to five bi-articulate buses connected by bolts.

When asked how much the system will cost, the mayor said in jest: “Fifty thousand votes for BO-PK.” He expects city-wide opposition to the plan, but said he will do it anyway to solve the congestion problems in the city.

“We are not doing this for profit so if we have to subsidize it, we will subsidize the operations at least during the early stage. We have to transfer the passengers to the buses to minimize the number of vehicles on the road,” he said.

for long term solution.... i go for subways....

Subway and MRT/LRT is just the same principle and system except that one is way above the ground and the other is under the ground. With all the built-up already in Cebu and adjacent areas, it's hard to dig underground for a tunnel and the fact that Cebu sometimes experience trophical storms or rains and can flood certain areas of cebu, it wouldn't be too wise to have subway system. It's much wiser to start with BRT and then progress to a rail system if not LRT/MRT at once. It would be nice to ride on it and see the nice city of Cebu and it's surroundings.

nag december na wala parin BRT??

^ As per recent press released, it will be initially implemented early next year.

wow, this is really a good development. I am particularly excited to see the new buses (stairless! like those buses in other countries?). Hopefully this could be a good model for other Philippine cities. :cheers:

I'm putting up a dedicated Thread for BRT developments in the country. Currently understudy and very likely to follow. The thread is for education, discussion and updating of news and issues regarding BRT or Bus Rapid Transit systems. This is to be differentiated from the Bus Lines Thread which is of terestrial inter and intra city bus services. Anyway a pretty important topic for any big urban center (not only MM) which is looking at Mass Transit Solutions.

from a hundred years hence- http://hundredyearshence.blogspot.com/
2.26.2008
if you want to know more about brt

All About Bus Rapid Transit

http://www.tstc.org/issues/brtshow/cap_cost_gao.jpg

This one's for the great folks over at the Philippine Forums of Skyscraper City who are discussing how we put up bus rapid transit in our cities:

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign (www.tstc.org) has a great online resource on Bus Rapid Transit (http://www.tstc.org/issues/brt.html) -what it looks like, how it works (in urban and suburban settings). It's a very concise introduction to BRT systems and links to tons of resources.

If it's any comfort, the TSTC is also trying to get BRT implemented and expanded in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area and are working to build up the political will to improve public transit in their megacity.


With a hat tip to Streetsblog.

brt up close

http://hundredyearshence.blogspot.com/search?q=getting+better+public+transportation+in+metro+manila
The public transportation system
we could have in Metro Manila

Here's an even more in depth look at bus rapid transit -how it works and how it is managed, featuring Bogota's Transmilenio.

http://www.streetfilms.org/flvplayer.swf
http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/bus-rapid-transit-bogota/
Bus Rapid Transit: Bogota (http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/bus-rapid-transit-bogota/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2025/2228902643_699af16769_o.jpg



The video is from The Oil Drum and was produced by Streetfilms, the same folks who gave you the documentary on Bogota's Ciclovia.

Just so you know that BRT systems are not only about improving traffic, but is basically about social justice through efficient transportation, read more about the Transmilenio's impact on the urban poor from the BoP folks in NextBillion. They write:

For Enrique Peñalosa, the mayor of Bogotá who drove the initial planning and implementation of Transmilenio, making high quality transportation accessible to Bogotá's low-income population was central to the project. By attacking the public transportation crisis, characterized by "penny wars," gaps in service, unequal pricing, high levels of pollution, and serious traffic congestion, the new BRT system aimed to reduce inequality. This included not only disparities in the quality of transportation services, but also long-term economic and educational inequities perpetuated by a lack of mobility and access between high and low-income areas of the city. [WRI has an interesting feature piece available that also describes the breadth and vision of Peñalosa's urban reform efforts].

Hmmm. So "public transportation crisis" that is characterized by "penny wars, gaps in service, unequal pricing, high levels of pollution, and serious traffic congestion."

Does that sound familiar?



Some old posts

I agree. You got it dude! :cheers:

Meanwhile, HEADSSS UP PINOYSSSKIII!!!

IS RP still interested in implementing BRT atleast in MM?

These are some quotes from their feasibility studies of implementing BRT:

http://www.iges.or.jp/APEIS/RISPO/spo/pdf/sp4202.pdf
Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a system that emphasises priority for and rapid movement of buses by
securing segregated busways (IEA, 2002). BRT is also called other names including
“high-capacity bus systems,” “high-quality bus systems,” “metro-bus” “express bus systems,”
“busway systems,” and “surface metro systems (Wright, 2002). The extent of dedicated
infrastructure and the level of sophistication of different systems vary considerably depending on
the case (IEA, 2002). Well planned BRTs have high capacities to carry passengers and can
provide comfortable, rapid, and low-cost public transport alternatives. BRTs started in Curitiba
(Brazil) and are becoming widespread in the region including Bogota (Columbia), and Quito
(Equador), and have proved to be a very cost effective alternative (for characteristics of BRT in
Brazilian cities, please refer to analytical background paper II-1). In North America, a number of
cities have begun to develop BRT systems, including Ottawa (Canada), Pittsburgh, Los Angeles,
and Honolulu (the United States). In Oceania, Brisbane and Adelaide (Australia) have BRT
systems. In Europe, BRTs are becoming increasingly common in cities in the United Kingdom,
including Leeds, London, Reading, and Ispwich. Cities in Asia are starting to introduce BRT,
such as the systems in Nagoya (Japan), Taipei (China), Jakarta (Indonesia), and Seoul (Korea).
Introductions of BRT are being considered in Beijing (P.R. China), Bangkok (Thailand), Delhi,
Hyderabad (India), and Dhaka (Bangladesh) (IEA, 2002, Wright and Fjellstrom, 2002, ITDP,
2003a, Fjellstrom, 2003a, 2003b).


http://www.adb.org/AnnualMeeting/2007/Essay-Competition/winning-entries/Ritchie-Anne-Guzman.pdf
A free-for-all road like EDSA can move perhaps 3,000 to 4,000 passengers per lane per
direction. Once the peak hours hit and roads become congested, there is an increase in travel
costs, such as fuel consumption and health and productivity impacts. An exclusive bus lane, in
very specific operating conditions, can move up to 20,000 passengers per direction per peak
hour and enable buses to maintain speeds of up to 27 kilometers per hour. Hence, the
introduction of exclusive bus facilities on an existing right-of-way can significantly improve the
targeting of that road asset to the benefit of the poor (footnote 12).
This alternative mass transit mode, as used in Bogota, is more popularly known as the
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. It is a bus-based transit system that imitates the speed and
performance of a rail system through exclusive right-of-way lanes. The greatest advantage of
establishing a BRT over railways is the cost. 13 Aside from the high cost of building and
maintaining a rail-based system, considerable attention must also be given to the operational
cost it entails. The 16.8 kilometer-EDSA MRT, for instance, is subsidized by the Government at
US$7.5 billion annually.

For US$1 billion it is possible to establish 7 kilometers of subway or 14 kilometers of
elevated rail or 426 kilometers of BRT.15 If the BRT concept had been adopted in Metro Manila
instead of the MRT, the mass transport system would have reached nearby provinces with the
same budget, which would have created compact suburban areas and decongested the city
further.

INDONESIA
http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/fs/2007/96410.htm
http://trb.metapress.com/content/k40242r10k021514/
[i]
Fact Sheet
Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
Washington, DC
November 28, 2007

Reducing Traffic Congestion
The transportation sector poses GHG and air quality concerns, as well as loss of productivity due to traffic congestion. Promoting and supporting public transportation can help reduce traffic congestion and the negative environmental impacts of idling traffic.

The United States government provided the initial funding to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy for the Livable Communities Initiative to establish TransJakarta, Indonesia's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. TransJakarta has now reached seven corridors covering 97 kilometers, carrying 200,000 passengers per day, and reducing emissions of urban pollutants and GHGs. It is anticipated to expand to more than 170 kilometers by January 2008, making it the world's largest BRT system.

On February 1, 2004, a 12.9-km (8-mi) bus rapid transit (BRT) line began revenue operation in Jakarta, Indonesia. The BRT line has incorporated most of the characteristics of BRT systems. The line was implemented in only 9 months at a cost of less than US1 million/km (1.6 million/mi). Two additional lines are scheduled to begin operation in 2005 and triple the size of the BRT. While design shortcomings for the road surface and terminals have impaired performance of the system, public reaction has been positive. Travel time over the whole corridor has been reduced by 59 min at peak hour. Average ridership is about 49,000/day at a flat fare of 30 cents. Furthermore, 20% of BRT riders have switched from private motorized modes, and private bus operators have been supportive of expanding Jakarta's BRT. Immediate improvements are needed in the areas of fiscal handling of revenues and reconfiguring of other bus routes. The TransJakarta BRT is reducing transport emissions for Jakarta and providing an alternative to congested streets. The BRT provides a tangible vision for an effective, viable, and sustainable public transportation system in Jakarta and elsewhere.


:cheers:

PHILIPPINES

http://www.uncrd.or.jp/env/est/photo/brt_manila_training.jpg

- Date: 28-29 November 2005

- Venue: Manila, Philippines

- Organizers: UNCRD in collaboration with Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia) and German Technical Assistance Agency (GTZ)

- Participants: 40 concerned government officials/individuals in the Philippines and Kazunobu Onogawa (Director, UNCRD)


In line with the Aichi Statement adopted by 14 Asian countries and in collaboration with CAI-Asia, GTZ, and the Government of Philippines, UNCRD provided support to conduct the pre-feasibility study for implementing the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Metro Manila Project with the objective to ease traffic and reduce air pollution in Metro Manila. As part of this overall project, a training course was held in November 2005 in Manila, Philippines for capacity building of local officials to develop and implement a BRT system in Metro Manila area. More than 40 concerned government officials/individuals in the Philippines took part in the training.

http://www.uncrd.or.jp/env/est/


------------------------------------------------------------------------

Manila looks forward to high-speed bus service
Bus rapid transit (BRT) system moves closer to reality (by Aurora Fe Ables, Transport Specialist, CAI-Asia Center)
http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72058.html


METRO MANILA, 28 August 2007: The dream of Metro Manila commuters to enjoy the comforts of a new bus rapid transit (BRT) system, similar to TransMilenio in Bogotá, Colombia and TransJakarta in Jakarta, Indonesia has just moved closer to reality, as the results of a pre-feasibility study was received positively by the Ms. Anneli Lontoc, Undersecretary for Transportation of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on Friday, 10 August 2007.

http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/articles-72058_pic.jpg
DOTC Usec. Anneli Lontoc receives the report on the "Pre-feasibility Study for a Bus Rapid Transit System in the Greater Metro Manila Area" from Mr. Jose "Boy" Dulce of USAID Philippines as DOTC Dir. Ildefonso Patdu, CAI-Asia Deputy Executive Director Sophie Punte, NCTS FI study team leader Dr. Ricardo Sigua, and USAID-ECAP Deputy Chief-of-Party Arlene Donaire look on. (Photo by Cody Rabe)


A BRT system is a viable mass rapid system using buses that operate on exclusive lanes with the convenience and features commonly found in rail systems such as pre-boarding fare collection at stations, scheduled and fast trips, and the use of intelligent transport systems (global positioning system or GPS). BRT can serve similar passenger capacities as in rail systems. It can be implemented at 10-20% the cost of rail systems and in as short as 18 months. BRT systems are widely used in the Latin Americas, the US, Europe, Australia, and in Asian countries such as China and Indonesia.

"Providing affordable, efficient, and convenient transport to commuters in the country, especially in Manila is a priority of the DOTC, and I am very supportive of a full feasibility study to make a BRT system in Metro Manila a reality" Usec. Lontoc said in her acceptance speech.

In behalf of DOTC, Undersecretary Lontoc received the report on the "Pre-feasibility Study for a Bus Rapid Transit System in the Greater Metro Manila Area" from Mr. Jose "Boy" Dulce, Development Assistance Specialist from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Philippines; Ms. Arlene Donaire, Deputy Chief-of-Party of USAID Energy and Clean Air Project (ECAP); Dr. Ricardo Sigua of University of the Philippines National Center for Transportation Studies (UP NCTS) Foundation Inc. and Ms. Sophie Punte, Deputy Executive Director of Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia) Center.

The pre-feasibility study, funded by USAID, was implemented by the UP NCTSFI with inputs from UP NCTS, ECAP and CAI-Asia. Further support was provided by an Inter-Agency Technical Working Group on Bus Rapid Transit (IATWG), comprising representatives from transportation, environment, and energy agencies, chaired by DOTC Director for Transport Planning Service and co-chaired by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

The pre-feasibility study originated from BRT briefing meetings in the Philippines organized by CAI-Asia and its local network in the Philippines, Partnership for Clean Air, and the BRT Training Workshop funded by the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) and the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in 2005.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Ricardo Sigua
Team leader, BRT pre-feasibility study
University of the Philippines National Center for Transportation Studies Foundation Inc.
UP Diliman Campus, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Phone: +63(2)923-8305
Email: rsigua@pldtdsl.net

Mr. Rey Goco
Chief-of-Party, Energy and Clean Air Project (ECAP)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
PA Consulting Group
Unit 2605,Raffles Corporate Center, Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Phone: +63(2)914-1106 local 09 to 08
Email: r_goco@ecap.com.ph

BRT, DOTC, mass transit, public transportation


:banana::cheers:

Meron palang pagasang magkaroon tayo ng BRT system kahit na privately owned ito (ngayon ko lang napansin ito):

Bus rapid transit system eyed for Cebu northern corridor


http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view_article.php?article_id=87921
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 02:48pm (Mla time) 09/11/2007


Cebu City, Philippines – The establishment of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system will be a more feasible mode of public transportation for Cebu City because its capital costs are lower compared to a metro rail system, Cebu City Planning and Development Officer Nigel Paul Villarete said.

Citing a feasibility study to determine the viability of establishing a BRT system in Manila, Villarete said at least $500,000 to $15 million is required per kilometer.

The cost includes the purchase of buses and the establishment of needed infrastructure. Operation begins within 18 months.

On the other hand, Villarete said a metro rail system will cost $25 million to $60 million per kilometer, while a light rail transit system costs $15 million to $40 million per kilometer.

Villarete said BRT operations should be a private sector initiative and one operator may be assigned per line.

Citing the Curatiba BRT system in Brazil as a model, he said the government should only get involved in the regulation and control of the system and in fixing and collecting fares.

“Based on the Curatiba model, there is a contract between the government and the operator. The government collects payments and then pays the operator on a per kilometer basis. Kung ingon ani ang paagi, dili na mag huwat ug dugay ang buses sa mga pasahero. Mapugos sila ug larga on time kay per kilometer traveled man ilang bayad,” he said.

The Cebu City government wants to establish a BRT system in the northern corridor particularly along the eight-kilometer Gov. Cuenco Avenue.

Villarete said there is a need to widen the four-lane Gov. Cuenco Avenue to six lanes to make it feasible for BRT operations.

The BRT system will need two inner lanes, while four lanes will be for private vehicles.

The city government is also studying the feasibility of a metro-wide operation to cater to commuters from the neighboring cities of Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Talisay.

World Bank has offered to provide technical assistance and loans to private investors to purchase buses.

Apart from Brazil, the BRT system is also used in Japan, Indonesia, Australia and Columbia./Reporter Doris C. Bongcac



Here are some of its bus photos (stolen from some indonesian flickr member):

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2287/2122530150_e11366301f.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2327/2124160976_37fdf442a2.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2330/2123387729_4835b1bd41.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2331/2115319988_c6756f3abd.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/379194665_a6947f3424.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/379194665_a6947f3424.jpg?v=0
http://l.yimg.com/www.flickr.com/images/spaceball.gif
http://i.pbase.com/o3/83/768283/1/88675576.yBWKQtMX._MG_01892.jpg

Those are the REAL BUSES for mass transportation and NOT LIKE the ones we see in the philippines w/ the LOWEST standard features where the only beauty they see are the outside look of their newly painted imported buses!!! Sayang ang pagiging innovative ng mga pinoy kund ito sana ay ginagamit sa mas magandang paraan tulad ng paggawa ng ating sariling buses that will fit for the real mass bus rapid transit!

See? If they can do it, WHY not us? I think its about time to educate, and introduce this BRT system to all filipinos and adopt it as soon as possible.

:cheers:

Check this indonesian skycraper link related BRT thread:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=177848
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=177848&page=25

Its very encouraging... Sana gayahin na natin ito ASAP! At paalisin nayang mga jeepneys! Bigyan nalang sila ng trabaho sa mga construction, mining, and BRT drivers...

http://www.beritajakarta.com/images/foto/busway%20balaikota%20a.jpg

Their buses didnt have the electronic signage system, a very typical-like MRTs, because it wasn't patterned after the typical BRT system like the ones we can find in north american countries, rather it was patterned w/ the colombian BRT.

This is the Electronic Signage that we need to be installed in our buses once we implement the BRT system, not unless if we adopt the Colombian style BRT:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2013/1801408553_fdbc5709dd_b.jpg

BTW, yo'll be surprised that even in an african nation of Nigeria has implemented a BRT:

Nigeria
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/52/Brt_seg_lanes.jpg
Lagos BRT segregated lanes and bus shelter on Ikorodu road

Lagos is building a bus rapid transit system and expects the first phase to be complete by the end of November 2007.
[2] [3] It is expected operate on eight routes on special BRT Lanes running through the city but will expand its operation.

First phase of the Lagos BRT to run from Mile 12 through Ikorodu Road and Funsho Williams Avenue up to CMS is scheduled to start operation by November 2007.

It is projected that the system will carry up to 10,000 passengers per direction per hour during peak travel hours.

The LAMATA BRT corridor is about 22 kilometres in length.

Two operators, NURTW Cooperative and LAGBUS, a Lagos State Government owned Asset Management Company are contributing about 180 high capacity buses for the implementation of the first phase Mile 12 to CMS BRT Lite system.

More about BRT here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_rapid_transit

:)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bb/Beijing_Bus_Rapid_Transit.jpg/350px-Beijing_Bus_Rapid_Transit.jpg
BRT in Beijing
Metro Manila may get Bus Rapid Transit



Vol. XXI, No. 27
Monday, September 3, 2007 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
The Nation

Bus rapid transport system to put order
on Metro Manila thorough fares (sic)

METRO MANILA may soon put order to its bus system with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) considering a bus rapid transit (BRT) system to address congestion.

A team of transportation experts early this month completed a pre-feasibility study for a BRT system for the metropolis.

The technical working group, chaired by Transportation Undersecretary Anneli R. Lontoc, include representatives from the United States Agency for International Development, University of the Philippines’ National Center for Transportation Studies (NCTS) and nongovernmental group Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities Center.

The BRT system will be similar to the TransMilenio in Bogota, Colombia and TransJakarta in Jakarta, Indonesia, the groups said in a statement.

The BRT is a mass transportation system using buses that operate on exclusive lanes with features commonly found in rail systems: pre-boarding fare collection at stations, scheduled trips, and the use of intelligent transport systems such as global positioning system.

The project proponents will attempt to combine the advantages of a metro system (exclusive right-of-way improves punctuality and frequency) with the advantages of a bus system (low construction and maintenance costs).

And while the system approaches the service quality of rail transit, it still provides the cost savings of bus transit.

Last March at the signing of a Metro Manila Declaration for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation, Jose Regin F. Regidor, director of NCTS, had said BRT is "environmentally sustainable transport."

It needs to be mainstreamed and not remain as a mere alternative to the current situation, he added.

The group said it soon will undertake a full feasibility study of a public BRT system, which would consider how commercial buses fit into the system.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is currently implementing an organized bus route system for the metropolis’ 2,000 privately owned buses. BRT systems are widely used in the Latin Americas, the United States, Europe, Australia, and in Asian countries such as China, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia. — Maria Kristina C. Conti


Well well well...why I am not surprised that AH-7Raja got banned! And its funny that he answered my question using a dead link... :lol:

Anyways, it looks like nobody was able to answer my challenge for a Rustans gift certificate but for those that are interested to know, the basic flaw on his premise is the fact that he suggested that the existing fleet of buses in the Philippines can be used for BRT operations, thus not needing to acquire new ones (in this case, to be imported).

BRT comes from all shapes and sizes:

1) Ultra simple ones like the B-Lines in Vancouver, basically just uses Bendy buses with a GPS system to inform ppl when the next bus is come

2) More organized ones like the LA Orange Line that requires tickets to be purchases prior to boarding like an LRT line with buses that can override traffic signals

3) The weird looking ones like the guided busways you see in Perth

4) The extreme ones in Curtiba, Brazil where buses up to three coaches long are used

5) The ultra complex to the point that it barely functions at all like the Guided Light Transit you see in Nancy, France.

6) Just plain silly like the Las Vegas MAX optical guided Irisbus Civis whose guidance system is pretty much useless due to the desert sand covering the painted lines that the bus needs to dock closer to the station

But one thing that every single BRT system has that has in common is ease of accessibility to its passengers. This is done by the use of either low floor buses or modified high floor ones (i.e. the Asian buses shown in this thread). This is a fundamental requirement for all BRT operations, rapid isn't just about the vehicles themselves but the movement of people in and out of the vehicle.

http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/max/images/vehicle_8.jpg

http://www.lightrailnow.org/images02/la-bus-brt-orangeline-Warner-Str-stn-pax-boarding-rear-door-20060927-0813brx2_lh.jpg

http://www.globalride-sf.org/images/53.jpg

Virtually every Philippine bus out there still requires people to climb up steps, which severely slow down the movement of passengers. It doesn't matter if the bus has two doors, the stairs impede the efficiency, thus nullifying the basic advantage that BRT schemes are suppose to offer, which is an efficient bus based system designed to move large amounts of people in a timely manner.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1204/1177853609_5c5eca1077.jpg?v=1187585096

That said, if the Philippines want to implement a BRT system in any of the cities, you simply CANNOT use the existing fleet, which is contrary to what AH-7Raja specifically mentioned. New buses need to be procured from the major manufacturers abroad or assembled locally with this basic but significant feature.

wow, comprehensive compilation of data....this would address the pollution and transportation woes of big cities like Metro Manila and Cebu. Hope this BRT would be implemented soon. I've seen the Transjakarta and it is successful.

Well done Bustero,very informative:banana:

@Bustero or Ronnie, when I was little as far as I can remember. Manila use to have that buses. that extended one with connector in the middle where the passengers can still walk through. I remember the interior was designed like a regular bus unlike this one it is similar toLRT inside. I dont think BRT would work for Manila, maybe in Cebu or Davao. besides MAnila has LRT/MRTs already, they needed to continue those projects so it will cover a wider part of Mtro Manila and adjacent cities and towns...

Congratulations Bustero, it is good you posted several articles regarding BRT.

Regarding Jakarta's experience. I have tried Transjakarta's busway (as the locals call it). Indeed, the dedicated busway lane is advantageous to the riding public. Imagine, the distance equivalent of SM City (West Ave) to Baclaran took less than 30 minutes. The downside is that it got 1 lane of Jakarta's major roads adding to traffic woes, so much so that in several avenues, traffic authorities allowed private vehicles to use the busway lane to lessen the traffic.

Manila already has a mass transit system. So i do not think a BRT is necessary.

Manila already has a mass transit system. So i do not think a BRT is necessary.

Yeah, a chaotic mess of a mass transit system. ;) Implementing a BRT system will bring all these bus companies under one administrative umbrella where they can be monitored and checked constantly. Also, the system will provice desinated bus stops for loading/unloading passengers and not just alight anywhere they want to. They can also standardize fares, and tickets/smart cards/passes distribution. Have uniformed buses, designated routes, and synchronized time schedules for buses arriving/departing at stations/bus stops.

Yes, I agree for those areas with LRT/MRT lines, I think BRT is no longer necessary however, for those roads that are not covered with rail transit, I think BRT would help. In Jakarta, even the secondary roads are now covered with BRT. The lower class or the average INdonesians now comfortably ride with the airconditioned, cleaned buses not using diesel or gasoline. To mwg12a, you mean, the trams? yes, I've heard about it, how come it was discontinued? Does it look like the one in Australia?

Re Bus lanes eating into to car lanes.

If you read the other links, the point made is very important. Mass transit is about social justice as it is about transportation. 90% of people within MM and urban areas use some form of public transport, yet their bus or jeep which transport 10x more people is treated the same as a few cars. Cars which almost always have just a few people who can usually afford to actually live nearer their work. It takes the same amount of time for a car and bus to traverse similar roads e.g. edsa or commonwealth yet the fewer number of public transport carry more people. This in a nutshell is what this is all about, the perspective that no traffic for cars is the way things should be because it is better for all, when the more important question is how do we get people from their homes to their destinations in the shortest amount of time possible to limit transit times and give everyone , specially those who have less and no access to private transportation, more quality time. This can not be addressed by BRT alone, it's only one type of system to address the whole issue. Nevertheless Philippine cities and MM in particular is in dire need of mass transit, with typical commutes over an hour for people with cars and more for those without, it is imperative that we address such needs as soon as possible. Changing zoning rules to redevelop the city and rail based transit will take a lot of time and money, perhaps even generational, yet here we are looking at something that will probably work for us.

Anyway for those areas which are served by rail, good, no need for more mass transit there but for the many other areas, EAst Manila, Novaliches Commonwealth (if mrt 7 does not push through), Camanava, C5, Sucat and Alabang zapote then this should be studied if it will work.

Amen Bustero.The thing I also like about the BRT is,it's user friendly to old people and disabled people.Not all stations of LRT/MRT have got facilities for these sector of society.Example if you are on a wheel chair it will be very hard for you to travel via Jeepneys/LRT/MRT. BRT's provide seat and space for them.And ,this sector of society don't need to worry about choosing were to disembark because all stations will be disable and old people friendly.Indeed BRT is a "Class Leveller" (rich or poor,ordinary or special,old or young)Everyone can benefit from it.

@Bustero : if you remember in the early 80's upto early 90's Davao have Bus stations strategically placed around downtown it's not rapid though but basically efficeint serving inner areas of the city, i think we should try a second look i think this kind of system will serve well & eliminate over crowded jeepneys, tricycles and habal habals.

Yes, Back then Davao was still no traffic land so getting around was so efficient but not the case so now. I feel the small multicabs which act as our jeeps now are a step backward, they should be relegated to feeder lines not mainlines like Laurel or highway!

I think Davao is easily one of the urban places in the Republic which should be looking at this. If we could run a line from Calinan and Toril to San Pedro then to Panacan and the airport, that would be very efficient. And at this time Davao still has the space to do this. The nice thing about this is that eventually if you wanted you could use the existing right of way of the busways and convert it into to rail if really wanted too. At least the hardest part which is the right of way is already there.

Yeah, a chaotic mess of a mass transit system. ;) Implementing a BRT system will bring all these bus companies under one administrative umbrella where they can be monitored and checked constantly. Also, the system will provice desinated bus stops for loading/unloading passengers and not just alight anywhere they want to. They can also standardize fares, and tickets/smart cards/passes distribution. Have uniformed buses, designated routes, and synchronized time schedules for buses arriving/departing at stations/bus stops.

Good points Kiretoce - that is the intention of the BRT and assuming that the BRT will replace the existing routes. What happened in Jakarta is the Transjakarta Busway did not replace the existing bus routes. The existing bus companies continue to ply their routes. Jakarta does not have an MRT/LRT unlike Manila, KL, BKK and Singapore.

Currently, the routes served by LRT 1,2 and MRT are also served by jeepneys and buses. I do not think that with the BRT, the buses and jeeps will stop operating.

I am not against the BRT per se, my only concern is how it will be implemented in MM especially that the BRT will eat up one lane from MM's roads. If MM authorities are seriously considering the BRT, they have to consider the effect of reserving one lane for the BRT.

Well done bustero! :cheers:

To others who are questioning the implementation of BRT in mm, actually the report didn't mention yet anything where they gonna install the busways and which part of metro manila. I think its none sense though if they will replace, or atleast compete with the MRT/LRT lines, but i'm assuming that they are thinking instead about complementing the rail lines. So which ever part of metro manila that didn't have an immediate access to any mass transit like the rail lines (MRT/LRT), i hope that's where they gonna build the BRT lines.

Nevertheless, its not only the idea of having a BRT lines that will save us money and travel time, but likewise, implementing a modern and reliable regular bus transit system w/ organized bus routes and schedules (similar to BRT system but have no dedicated busways) that will be replacing the existing jeepneys, that are currently operating both at national and arterial roads around metro manila and its surrounding provinces, will surely make the NCR as a better place to live and work.

they've done such project in Brazil, i guess :cheers:

i just hate multicabs especially the puj version !!!!! :ohno: they shouldnt be allowed (sana) on major thoroughfares... my wish, though, is that the multicabs would replace the remaining tricycles (for instance those plying in Agdao District) and the trisikads... imo lang po :cheers:

Yes, Back then Davao was still no traffic land so getting around was so efficient but not the case so now. I feel the small multicabs which act as our jeeps now are a step backward, they should be relegated to feeder lines not mainlines like Laurel or highway!

I think Davao is easily one of the urban places in the Republic which should be looking at this. If we could run a line from Calinan and Toril to San Pedro then to Panacan and the airport, that would be very efficient. And at this time Davao still has the space to do this. The nice thing about this is that eventually if you wanted you could use the existing right of way of the busways and convert it into to rail if really wanted too. At least the hardest part which is the right of way is already there.

Good points Kiretoce - that is the intention of the BRT and assuming that the BRT will replace the existing routes. What happened in Jakarta is the Transjakarta Busway did not replace the existing bus routes. The existing bus companies continue to ply their routes. Jakarta does not have an MRT/LRT unlike Manila, KL, BKK and Singapore.

I am not against the BRT per se, my only concern is how it will be implemented in MM especially that the BRT will eat up one lane from MM's roads. If MM authorities are seriously considering the BRT, they have to consider the effect of reserving one lane for the BRT.

Yes, I agree, MM should consider the one lane that will be taken by BRT. However, in jakarta, the buses that are affected by BRT were controlled. There is a major difference in Manila and Jakarta. In Indonesia, most of the public transpo are either partly owned or fully owned by government unlike in the Philippines, thus it is easier to control the number that will be allowed to run.
I still believe that BRT system is favorable to MM in areas such as C5, EDSA, Commonwealth, portion of Roxas Boulevard, Ortigas Ave, Magsaysay Boulevard, Osmena Highway, and the like.

they've done such project in Brazil, i guess :cheers:

i just hate multicabs especially the puj version !!!!! :ohno: they shouldnt be allowed (sana) on major thoroughfares... my wish, though, is that the multicabs would replace the remaining tricycles (for instance those plying in Agdao District) and the trisikads... imo lang po :cheers:


You're not alone. There are filipinos who will support you. We are the progressive minded filipinos who doesn't settle for less, because it is indeed that the production and operation of PUJ's are step backwards. I dont mid if they build those electric jeepneys, but as long as they are properly controlled, its ok. I don't know why the government can't simply replace them w/ buses that can carry more passengers and are much safer in the road, when they can ask some foreign investors to invest in our mass transit, if the cannot afford to buy more reliable and modern buses. They sould also implement some new laws to control the population of our PUJ's, tricycles, multicabs, pedicabs, and buses. All they need is to train these drivers for a new system, w/ the cooperation of LTO that should have been educating and producing much better drivers that didn't go through dishonesties when it comes to issuing their licences.

http://www.tstc.org/issues/brtshow/cap_cost_gao.jpg



These figures are somewhat misleading. Capital costs for Light Rail usually include the trains, whereas capital costs for a "Busway" do not include the cost of the buses.

Also, operating costs per passenger are higher with BRT. If the system is to operate at constant capacity, as I'm sure it would in Metro Manila, LRT is still cheaper in the long run.

BRT is great for suburban settings where rapid transit use is mostly periodic. This allows the BRT system to gear up and wind down on demand. It is great for cities where rush hour is only a couple of hours each morning and afternoon.

I live in a city that, after 25 years of experimenting with BRT, we are finally and thankfully getting ready to move on to Light Rail. There is near consensus that Light Rail is better for the urban sections and that BRT will be limited to the suburbs.

I could see BRT routes emanating from LRT nodes in Manila. It would be good to have some order and discipline to transit modes in the outer areas of the metropolis.

I agree those figures are fairly generalized and may not reflect costs accurately.One reason the chart above was presented was that way was that one key success factor in many third world cities was the fact that many lines were privately run by bus companies and that if the city were to provide the bus ways the companies would then alter their bus to conform with the system. This way key stakeholders would support the initiative and the total budget would actually go down.

I do believe those that most everyone here can agree that total system costs on a per kilometer basis on the capital side will have a difference of multiples from a bus to a rail based system. For sure the running costs of BRT would be higher.

The question that needs to be address is will the overall increased variable expense offset the capital differences after it's been properly amortized so that a complete total cost of ownership can be an apples to apples comparison. Specially for most developing nations it seems that way. The more succesfull BRT systems worldwide do not run at a deficit compared with typical rail based systems.

In general choice of mass transport is as much a discussion on fiscal policy as it is on it's pure technoeconomics. For gov'ts with severely limited budgets where should it spend it's money is a key consideration, hence faced with transportation needs cost benefit analysis beyond pure economic measures (things like social costs, quality of life, etc) may be applied. So even if BRT is not the most efficient, because the GOP can't afford to put all it's money in building rail lines, it still may make sense just because it can put it address the mass transport issue with less money allowing it to allocate bigger shares for other needed programs.

These figures are somewhat misleading. Capital costs for Light Rail usually include the trains, whereas capital costs for a "Busway" do not include the cost of the buses.

Also, operating costs per passenger are higher with BRT. If the system is to operate at constant capacity, as I'm sure it would in Metro Manila, LRT is still cheaper in the long run.

BRT is great for suburban settings where rapid transit use is mostly periodic. This allows the BRT system to gear up and wind down on demand. It is great for cities where rush hour is only a couple of hours each morning and afternoon.

I live in a city that, after 25 years of experimenting with BRT, we are finally and thankfully getting ready to move on to Light Rail. There is near consensus that Light Rail is better for the urban sections and that BRT will be limited to the suburbs.

I could see BRT routes emanating from LRT nodes in Manila. It would be good to have some order and discipline to transit modes in the outer areas of the metropolis.

Systematica, Ottawa's experience is not exactly a good analog for Metro Manila. For one, your city's population is a scant 1.1M for the metro -and that's spread over 5300km2, so you're BRT is trying to service densities of 200/km2. e.g. you do get higher service costs per passenger because there are so few of them to serve.

Compare that to the densities in cities where BRT have been unqualified successes:


Mexico City: 5700/km2
Bogota: 3900/km2
Jakarta: 12600/km2
Curitiba: 3200/km2


So Metro Manila falls in line nicely at 17,400/km2.

Secondly, the suburban spread of Ottawa-Gatineau is ten times that of Metro Manila's 640km2. So rubber-on-road operating costs are definitely higher.

UDC

Systematica, Ottawa's experience is not exactly a good analog for Metro Manila. For one, your city's population is a scant 1.1M for the metro -and that's spread over 5300km2, so you're BRT is trying to service densities of 200/km2. e.g. you do get higher service costs per passenger because there are so few of them to serve.

Compare that to the densities in cities where BRT have been unqualified successes:


Mexico City: 5700/km2
Bogota: 3900/km2
Jakarta: 12600/km2
Curitiba: 3200/km2


So Metro Manila falls in line nicely at 17,400/km2.

Secondly, the suburban spread of Ottawa-Gatineau is ten times that of Metro Manila's 640km2. So rubber-on-road operating costs are definitely higher.

UDC

While the figures might show that Ottawa is not dense, again it is a misinterpretation of statistics. The city's area is 4/5 rural, so in reality, about 700,000 people live in an area of 560 km2. That's an urban density of 1250 km2. Not that impressive, but we do not all live in acre-sized lots.

In fact I would argue that BRT was actually successful here when the city had less people. Despite modest growth, we've outgrown our BRT system in about 25 years.

I can see BRT working in Manila if it is implemented on a wide scale, carving out right-of-ways along every major radial avenue out of the city. Finding space will be quite difficult as the stations do take up space to be successful. With the volumes involved the stations will need to accommodate a large number of buses. Also a huge part of the traffic problem in Manila is in the intersections — i don't know how you would avoid these short of building an untold amount of fly-overs.

Tuesday March 11,Jeepney strike.Observe our streets.This will show how passenger jeepneys actually contribute to the horrendous traffic.You will see how clear our streets are without them.But if what the jeepney assoc. are saying is true ( Traffic enforcers having quotas and earning from it,then it is unfair.)

Everybody hate jeepneys but I like them. As I said it before and I'll say it once again, Jeepneys are a Filipino symbol. Jeepneys are some of those that gives Manila a character

http://www.absolutad.com/gallery/manila.jpg

^^are the jeepneys in Manila still authentic jeepneys--as in derived from the American Jeeps of WWII?

coz here in Cebu, what we have are mostly--if not all--Japanese Surplus...

* * *

hey, maybe some city could come up with a JRT system with uniform jeepneys and that would be managed by a cooperative of different jeepney operators

^^^ It might have came from the old US GI jeeps but it's still authentic to the filipinos that they modified and made use of something to a public use, the design and such is just a truely filipino ingenuity. Today's Jeepneys and even ones you see outside Manila is just a modern version of it. There is no other places in the world who has this means of public transportation.

They should just invent a new system for the Philippines: JRT, or Jeepney Restricted Traffic :) Keep the jeepneys in dedicated lanes and roadways so they don't cause traffic! :lol:

Everybody hate jeepneys but I like them. As I said it before and I'll say it once again, Jeepneys are a Filipino symbol. Jeepneys are some of those that gives Manila a character

http://www.absolutad.com/gallery/manila.jpg

They look beautiful! But they no longer belong to the next generation of modern urban mass transit vehicles that are also environmentally friendly. Where these electric or non-electric jeepneys really belongs to are at different tourist destinations and servicing our foreign and local tourists.

:)

^^That's a brilliant idea.Air-conditioned jeepneys using electricity to move balikbayans/foreign tourists.I wonder where will they put their luggages though.I would probably start to like it again.30 years of riding the reckless drivers(Most of them) is enough already.:lol::lol::lol:It made me religious though.because I ended up praying a lot when I ride jeepneys.:nuts::nuts::nuts:

^^^ Like a Limo service, it's how the seats are designed in stretched limos anyway he he he

Megaworld to link projects via bus system


Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:37:00 03/11/2008



AN AFFILIATE of Megaworld Corp. unveiled Monday a plan to set up a transportation system that would link the property developer's various projects around the metropolis.

In a statement, First Oceanic Property Management Inc. said it had earmarked up to P100 million for the establishment of CityLink Coach Services Inc., a public transportation system for Megaworld's business and residential projects in Eastwood City and Fort Bonifacio.

CityLink obtained its franchise from the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) last week. Its approved route is from Eastwood City to Newport City via C5, and vice versa.

CityLink will provide the public initially with five "class A" buses, and will add five more within the year, providing bus routes that transport workers and residents to and from their destinations.

The scheme is the company's answer to the rapid expansion of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, in which Megaworld is a major player as a builder of buildings for BPO firms.

CityLink will help support and help sustain the growth of BPO companies in Megaworld's township projects, the company said.

"The bus operator has also tied up with transportation groups and set up a terminal for the benefit of employees and residents of McKinley Hill Cyberpark," it added.

Buses now ply the McKinley Hill project's main artery, Upper McKinley Road, going to Paseo Center near Ayala Avenue, allowing passengers to link up with the MRT or north- and south-bound buses.
Daxim L. Lucas

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20080311-123956/Megaworld-to-link-projects-via-bus-system

Everybody hate jeepneys but I like them. As I said it before and I'll say it once again, Jeepneys are a Filipino symbol. Jeepneys are some of those that gives Manila a character

http://www.absolutad.com/gallery/manila.jpg

I agree that those Jeepneys are an identifying symbol of Manila. I think the problem is with its drivers and some jeepney units that lack maintenance spewing diesel fumes all over. I say all it needs better regulation of giving Jeepney Franchises in terms of operators' merit, a special jeepney drivers' certificate course, and environmental awareness.

Maybe these BRT system can be better applied in other major philippine cities such as Cebu or Davao.

I agree that those Jeepneys are an identifying symbol of Manila. I think the problem is with its drivers and some jeepney units that lack maintenance spewing diesel fumes all over. I say all it needs better regulation of giving Jeepney Franchises in terms of operators' merit, a special jeepney drivers' certificate course, and environmental awareness.

Maybe these BRT system can be better applied in other major philippine cities such as Cebu or Davao.

What would be better is if the new model of jeepneys would be more enviromentaly friendly. An example would be the adaptation of CNG or bio-fuel.

Of course there's the electric jeepney but its too modern and it doesn't have the Philippine elements as the traditional jeepney.

The only problem is how much will it cost to modify the new type of jeepneys.

We've seen some improvements in today's traditional Pinoy jeepney like the use of airconditioning and the expansion of size.

As for BRT, Cebu or Davao are better off since they don't have the rapid transit that Manila has.

In Europe there are plenty of these bendy buses and they have exclusive lanes to use. They have a capacity of up to 130 pax. sitting and standing. I used its service together with rail network in going to work since its cheap, but not equivalent to Philippine peso please, otherwise you pay at least P150. As to European standard its very cheap compared to running cars where you can always get caught in traffic jams and no parking signs. Its mass transport alright. But I doubt its viability in the Philippines. first, were not as disciplined as Singapore as regard road use and courtesy. Second, Probably good in Edsa and Commonwealth routes as these are big roads. If we have to try it running in City street then we have to reduce jeepneys running metro manila streets. Thats not a good idea dislocating thousand of jeepney drivers and conductors as well as inspectors. third, its not good for kotong cops.

Mind you its ecologically friendly because it carries a lot of people equivalent to at least 8 jeepneys or 2 big buses. Great in alleviating traffic too!

However, we need to consider the economic side of it with regards to employment. Our country needs more people to be employed rather than having no work to alleviate poverty. with this scheme I don't see how on the short term. Its a huge investment too. Maybe in the next 10 years or so I will reconsider my thoughts. But hey this is a very good idea.

Actually whether we use bendy buses or straight buses or new design jeepneys the whole thing still has to be designed and executed on a full system basis. The salient points of the system include:

quick access to the vehicle
controlled access to the vehicle
payment in the station prefered
seperate lines to guarantee ride times and efficiency

Basically it's about maintining efficiency by making sure the vehicles have as high a capacity utilization as possible, also by controlling access and paying in the station you can assure that there will be no middle of the road bus pickups like the current dangerous system of suddenly stopping jeepneys and buses.

from UDC

http://hundredyearshence.blogspot.com/2008/03/getting-better-public-transit-in-metro.html

3.13.2008
getting better public transit in metro manila (part 4)

Mobilizing the political will to improve public transit in Metro Manila
Part 3: Divide and Conquer
This is part four of a series on how to improve public transit in Metro Manila.

Reviewing again the previous posts:

Step One is to change the frame. Improving public transit is not about decongesting traffic. It is about social justice.

Step Two is to show an alternative vision. Discussing what is wrong about the status quo will not bring change by itself. We have to show what is possible.

Step Three is to build a winning political coalition. A political coalition that will shepherd the change through the political process, and bring political pressure to bear to convince the policy wonks and sway the elected officials.

"Winning" presumes a political contest - a battle, and so we cannot win unless we win over or defeat the opposition which brings us to:

Step Four, Dividing and Conquering the Opposition.

Sun Tzu exhorts us to "know your enemy," so the first question is, "Who would be opposed to more efficient public transportation in Metro Manila?"

The answer, of course, is no one.

More so if the premise is social justice. What politically-sane person in the Philippines would stand against something that is about efficiency, serves the public and is pro-poor?

But it would be the height of naivete to think that there would be no opposition. There will be, but their opposition will stand on issues NOT diametrically opposed to efficiency and social justice.

We need to know their interests, issues and goals and use the same to gain leverage for our agenda.

There will be two types of opposition: organized and not. And that nomenclature is split further down to groups who are influential or not.

The biggest, most visible threat would be from organized and influential opposition, which in my book will likely be the Operators and Drivers Associations of the present public transport services (BODAs, JODAs and TODAs). They have, after all, recently and successfully flexed their muscles (giving, what R.O./Y.R. calls Manila's Extreme Sport, a day long uptick in degree of difficulty -though Enrique claims he found no real effect). They also have a long history of protest action.

But as organized as the ODAs are, they are in no way monolithic. To succeed in breaking the opposition, we have to look at the internal faultlines and use their interest to win adherents over to our side.

Drivers, above all, want a predictable income. Under the boundary system, fluctuations in fuel prices, uneven fines, capricious law enforcement and traffic and traffic congestion affects their take home income. Any system that smooths out those fluctuations - that gives them steady income would be preferable.

Operators, meanwhile, want to maximize their profits. As businessmen, they will appreciate a system that provides incentives to their investments.

One other note, the current free-wheeling public transport ecosystem provides an entrepreneurial route from driver, to small operator, to large operator (or transport consortium). A better public transit system can win adherents if it answers those concerns.

The Bus Rapid Transit system, as implemented in many cities, offers viable solutions to each of these concerns.

First of, the dedicated-lane, bus priority traffic system automatically eliminates the congestion and capricious law enforcement concerns of the drivers.

Also, unlike capital intensive Light or Heavy Rail systems, BRT systems provide a pathway for participation for existing transport providers. Drivers and smaller operators can be encouraged to form cooperatives to bid for and to run the services of the BRT. Large consortiums can easily transition and also provides services. Take the example of Mexico's MetroBus, where 70% of the service is run by companies and cooperatives from the ranks of the former drivers and operators of the minibus services that the BRT system replaced.

Becoming service providers for the BRT, under a formalized enterprise, will allow drivers to shift into formal salaries , moving them away the insecurity of the boundary system. They will also have the benefits of formal employments, such as health insurance and social security.

We can also mandate employee ownership of the service firms so that the drivers earn more than their salaries, but also partake of the profits. Their livelihoods will also not be tied down to the fare rates, but their extra income (share of the profits) will be linked to the efficiency of the service.

A properly designed BRT policy and investment program will move small operators from single proprietorships into medium sized business enterprises. We can provide the capital and tax incentives -for example, by having the government buy and own the buses and leasing them back to the operators to reduce the operator's asset risks. The system can professionalize the current large consortiums, encouraging better corporate management.

A properly designed BRT policy will break the ranks of the ODAs and will likely appeal to majority of the drivers and will draw quite a few of the entrepreneurs.

Other opposition

The only possible opposition left will be the companies with vested interests in large infrastructure projects along with politicians who earn kickbacks from these major investments.

They will argue that fixed rail systems are more efficient but their influence can be neutralized by questioning their vested interests. So, too, with politicians who would stand on their side.

Imagine a politician who is not only labelled "anti-poor" for standing against the social justice issues of a more efficient public transport system, but that they could also be questioned for supporting large investments - as having vested interests.

The final other possible group would be an organized motorist group, which presently does not exist as a viable political force, but it is foreseeable that they could coalesce into a front that can wield some influence. Their main concern would be the traffic consequences of appropriating a lane for the BRT, but that easily be traded of with the removal of undisciplined PUV behavior and by arguing that more efficient public transit will actually reduce car use -thereby freeing up the road for more devoted motorists.

If we frame the BRT proposition correctly, and wield the right political levers, we can easily neutralize the opposition listed above.


Next up: Making it work, the mechanics

Free CNG bus rides to start next week
03/18/2008 | 11:15 PM

Free rides on sleeker and cleaner buses running on compressed natural gas (CNG) will be offered for 10 days starting Monday, the government and its private partners announced Tuesday.

"We’ll be at Mamplasan early in the morning, for the start of the free bus run," said bus operator Homero A. Mercado, who is deploying one unit.

Mamplasan, Laguna is home to the country’s lone CNG freestanding retail station, called a "daughter". It is fed gas from a "mother" station in Batangas, where CNG taken from the Malampaya wells off Palawan is temporarily stored.

The free bus run is phase one of the CNG pilot program for public transportation, which will eventually ease into commercial operations by April 3. Fares are expected to be at least half of prevailing prices, since CNG will be supplied at the subsidized price of P14 per liter.

Mr. Mercado, president of HM Transport, said his bus will initially ply the Calamba-Lawton route. He said he would send out three more buses on Metro Manila routes if their operations are similarly endorsed by the Bureau of Fire Prevention.

KL CNG Transport Corp. Vice President Nicky M. Hidalgo earlier confirmed that his company would field at least 10 buses on the Batangas-Cubao route.

For roughly two weeks, 11 buses will be out along EDSA and the South Luzon Expressway, said Mario C. Marasigan, the Energy department director in charge of the CNG program.

"This is the pilot phase. So far we do not see any more problems. When the free run begins on March 24, there’s no turning back," he said by telephone on Tuesday.

The CNG bus project has already stumbled on a slew of financial, supply, security, and safety problems.

But thanks to the tripartite effort of the Energy department, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and the bus companies, the program is now on a roll, Mr. Marasigan said.

"We think there will be no more interruptions, or delays," he said. "This will now move on to the next phase: expansion."

Mr. Marasigan said the CNG program would be reevaluated after one month, to see if the current supply system can support the proposed fleet of 200.

Twenty-eight buses are currently in the country.

"We’ll see if there is a need for more stations. We have at least five investors willing to put up new mother-daughter stations. Right now we need stations inside Metro Manila," he said.

The idea of using CNG for public transport was hatched as early as 2001, as the government sought alternative uses for Malampaya gas aside from power generation, despite public apprehensions over safety.

Shell, whose sister company operates the Malampaya natural gas project in Palawan, agreed to put up a pair of stations in 2005. Following various construction problems, the daughter station in Laguna was inaugurated by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last October.

Technical glitches were ultimately solved last February.

"Monday is a momentous moment," said Mr. Mercado, who expects the president to again grace the occasion. — MKCC, BusinessWorld

I want to see this type of bus on the street of Manila esp. along EDSA:)

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/ericlucky290/Forum/ygp6A85.jpg

nice double-decked shuttle bus! doon pala sa aquatic ang merong dolphins and seals....

I think during the Marcos era, they use to have double deckers and stretched bus plying around metro Manila.

I think during the Marcos era, they use to have double deckers and stretched bus plying around metro Manila.

Yup you're right. MMTC used to operate double-deckers and buses with tow hitches where an old bus body with no engine is being towed by a regular bus and then they even had a couple of trailer buses called megabus. These buses only plied the EDSA route though. High cost of maintenance forced them to retire these buses after being on the road for maybe five/six years.

oDnkzNh9qBs

guodaBkDPP0

WORLD Bank traffic experts are in Cebu City today to study the possibility of implementing a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in the Banilad-Talamban area and to design an “internal transportation system for the entire South Road Properties (SRP).”

Mayor Tomas Osmeña had just attended a two-day World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) seminar on public transport in Manila.

With him were City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, City Council committee on transportation chairman; engineer Paul Villarete, City Planning and Development Office head; and City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) executive officer Arnel Tancinco.

Study

The mayor said they invited three seminar speakers to come to Cebu City and make the study through a World Bank and ADB grant.

“They want to get the real situation on the ground and discuss with us existing data available, and see the sites and make actual evaluation and make recommendations on what to do next,” Villarete said.

The mayor said that after coming here “for the initial exposure,” the experts intend to return for the study, which would be comprehensive “to the last engineering detail,” and make surveys and consultations.

The World Bank and the ADB Bank are helping developing countries shift to a BRT system.

And the City is considering as pilot site the Banilad-Talamban area, where a flyover is being built along Gov. Mariano Cuenco Ave, specifically from the junction of J. Panis St. and beyond the A.S. Fortuna St. intersection.

Yesterday, the Citom asked WTG Construction and Development Corp. to be the one to shoulder the overtime pays of traffic enforcers who helped keep traffic in the area as smooth as possible.

This, after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said it already paid P1.5 million to the flyover contractor for traffic management.

It is the Citom, which deployed personnel and tapped barangay tanods, that maintains traffic flow in Banilad.

More signage

In yesterday’s meeting, the Citom board also asked that WTG comes up with additional billboards and signage warning motorists of the construction, which will be finished in six months.

And while the flyover is being built to help ease traffic congestion in Banilad, Villarete said the BRT system is a major solution to the problem.

One approach to solving traffic is to decrease the number of vehicles by increasing the number of passengers per vehicle, which could be done through the BRT.

If the system gets approved, the BRT will be ready within three years.

According to a USAID study, the BRT was proven effective in Curitiba, Brazil and in Quito, Ecuador. At least 15 Asian cities have adopted the system.

It works like the train system but uses buses instead of train coaches and bus lanes instead of train tracks. It is also cheaper to operate.

The buses are stairless and passengers pay at the specially designed bus stops.

As in Curitiba, there will be lanes that will be dedicated solely for the buses. The Curitiba BRT uses up to five bi-articulate buses connected by bolts. (RHM)

This is a very good project.

Ayun, if Manila will not lead the way then let Cebu or even Davao do it. Perhaps we can get better results from an enlightened leadership in the secondary metro's!

Looks like those progressive cebuano's are moving faster, good news.

Bus transit system to be tackled
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/enterprise/view_article.php?article_id=117355
By Doris C. Bongcac
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 12:11pm (Mla time) 02/07/2008

Representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are arriving in Cebu today to meet with City officials and discuss the possibility of establishing a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system here.

But Mayor Tomas Osmeña said that the visit does not promise anything yet.

He could only hope that the ADB representatives would decide to help the city government fund the conduct of a feasibility study and prepare the engineering plans for the BRT which Osmeña wanted established along the northern corridor.

Mayor Osmeña has long dreamed of having a BRT system here, which he will pattern from the BRT system model in Curitiva in Brazil.

Under the BRT system, the Cebu City government will allow buses to ply major city roads like Governor Cuenco Avenue as an alternative mode of transportation.

The BRT system is considered one solution to ease traffic congestion in the city.

City Planning and Development Officer Nigel Paul Villarete said that the city government may test the operation of a BRT in two major routes: along the Banilad-Talamban Road and in the vicinity of the Central Business District.

Another possibility is to have a BRT as a means of transportation around the 300-hectare South Road Properties.

Villarete said that “we have to conduct a feasibility study first before we can solicit help for funding (for the establishment of the BRT system here).”

Villarete said that the city only has a vehicle alighting survey along the Banilad Road.

Mayor Osmeña, Villarete, Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem and City Traffic Operations and Management (Citom) executive director Arnel Tancinco were in Manila on Monday and Tuesday to attend a seminar by ADB and World Bank.

The possibility of establishing BRTs in third world countries like the Philippines was discussed during the two-day seminar.

Osmeña said there is a possibility that ADB will help the city come up with a feasibility study and engineering details of the BRT that he wanted established along the seven kilometer stretch of the Governor Cuenco Avenue that traverses barangay Banilad and Talamban.

He said that funding for the establishment of a BRT, system may also come from the World Bank or any private sector partner.

Osmeña said that operating a BRT which may be done within the next two years, would require at least P100 million, which already includes the purchases of buses and other needed equipment.

Despite the city's plan to operate a BRT, Jakosalem said he will make sure that the PUJs will not be taken from city roads.

Osmeña said that he would also try to minimize dislocation of PUJs.

But BRTs will also be given priority along the four-lane Governor Cuenco Avenue a means of transportation as compared with private car



Heavy traffic begins at Gov. Cuenco Ave.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view_article.php?article_id=116886
By Doris C. Bongcac, Jolene Bulambot
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 12:52pm (Mla time) 02/05/2008

CEBU CITY, Philippines - Unlike the first three days, heavy traffic congestion started to be felt along the flyover construction site in Governor Cuenco Avenue in Banilad on Monday.

A “no fault zone” was declared on a portion of the construction site on Monday to ensure the continuous flow of traffic in the area.

This means that traffic enforcers are ordered to strictly implement the traffic rules within the designated area.

Public utility jeepneys were barred from loading and unloading passengers along the at least 200-meter stretch from the vicinity of Foodland to Gaisano Country Mall.

Still, traffic was heavy from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Monday.

Agustinito Hermoso, legal officer of Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7), said the inconvenience may be severed when WTG Construction starts the actual construction in a few days.

Portions of the construction site were sometimes closed to traffic Monday when the DPWH and the contractor's engineers conducted the preliminary works.

With the implementation of the “no fault zone” policy, public transportation was required to load and unload passengers at the Country Mall pocket lane.

Commuters, who wanted to transact business within the construction site, were complaining.

“Layo na kaayo mi ug lakawon kay dili man mi panaugon diha. Naa man untay PUJ stop diha dapita (We had to endure a long walk because jeepneys are not allowed to unload passengers near the construction site when there is supposedly a PUJ stop in the area),” said one commuter.

Citom enforcers explained to the affected drivers and passengers that they were only following the instructions given by their superiors.

Jesselito Baring, who lives near the construction site, asked President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to move the project implementation during the summer months.

He said other affected residents should band together and support the call of the Cebu Business Club for a postponement.

“We are asking the President to cancel the project kay we don't believe that it is the solution of the problem. There are a lot of people who are already supportive of this move asking the President to intervene,” he said.

He said the recommendation of Dr. Primitivo Cal to widen the roads was more acceptable than the flyover.

But Hermoso said that unless DPWH central office issues a suspension order, the implementation will push through as scheduled.

They will also go on with the planned acquisition of at least 21 parcels of land needed to establish a service road that will expand the two outer lanes of the avenue near the construction site.

Hermoso said that DPWH-7 gave the lot owners seven days to present proof of ownership of the affected properties for the release of compensation.

In the meantime, Mayor Tomas Osmeña led a four-man delegation for a two-day discussion on the viability of putting up a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in urban centers in the country.

The seminar, which would end Tuesday and was organized by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, was participated in by local officials from Metro Manila and Davao.

“There is a general sentiment to already upgrade our existing transport systems and apply it to the needs of time,” Villarete said.

He said they would also want to take advantage of the seminar to solicit the help of the World Bank in putting up a BRT in Cebu City.

They wanted the system tested especially along the city's northern corridor.

But a feasibility study will be conducted to determine the viability of the BRT along the Banilad-Talamban areas.

Until then, the city government will adopt more immediate measures that include the construction of a flyover to address congestion in the area. /With reports from Correspondent Chris A. Ligan
CEBU CITY, Philippines - Unlike the first three days, heavy traffic congestion started to be felt along the flyover construction site in Governor Cuenco Avenue in Banilad on Monday.

A “no fault zone” was declared on a portion of the construction site on Monday to ensure the continuous flow of traffic in the area.

This means that traffic enforcers are ordered to strictly implement the traffic rules within the designated area.

Public utility jeepneys were barred from loading and unloading passengers along the at least 200-meter stretch from the vicinity of Foodland to Gaisano Country Mall.

Still, traffic was heavy from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Monday.

Agustinito Hermoso, legal officer of Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7), said the inconvenience may be severed when WTG Construction starts the actual construction in a few days.

Portions of the construction site were sometimes closed to traffic Monday when the DPWH and the contractor's engineers conducted the preliminary works.

With the implementation of the “no fault zone” policy, public transportation was required to load and unload passengers at the Country Mall pocket lane.

Commuters, who wanted to transact business within the construction site, were complaining.

“Layo na kaayo mi ug lakawon kay dili man mi panaugon diha. Naa man untay PUJ stop diha dapita (We had to endure a long walk because jeepneys are not allowed to unload passengers near the construction site when there is supposedly a PUJ stop in the area),” said one commuter.

Citom enforcers explained to the affected drivers and passengers that they were only following the instructions given by their superiors.

Jesselito Baring, who lives near the construction site, asked President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to move the project implementation during the summer months.

He said other affected residents should band together and support the call of the Cebu Business Club for a postponement.

“We are asking the President to cancel the project kay we don't believe that it is the solution of the problem. There are a lot of people who are already supportive of this move asking the President to intervene,” he said.

He said the recommendation of Dr. Primitivo Cal to widen the roads was more acceptable than the flyover.

But Hermoso said that unless DPWH central office issues a suspension order, the implementation will push through as scheduled.

They will also go on with the planned acquisition of at least 21 parcels of land needed to establish a service road that will expand the two outer lanes of the avenue near the construction site.

Hermoso said that DPWH-7 gave the lot owners seven days to present proof of ownership of the affected properties for the release of compensation.

In the meantime, Mayor Tomas Osmeña led a four-man delegation for a two-day discussion on the viability of putting up a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in urban centers in the country.

The seminar, which would end Tuesday and was organized by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, was participated in by local officials from Metro Manila and Davao.

“There is a general sentiment to already upgrade our existing transport systems and apply it to the needs of time,” Villarete said.

He said they would also want to take advantage of the seminar to solicit the help of the World Bank in putting up a BRT in Cebu City.

They wanted the system tested especially along the city's northern corridor.

But a feasibility study will be conducted to determine the viability of the BRT along the Banilad-Talamban areas.

Until then, the city government will adopt more immediate measures that include the construction of a flyover to address congestion in the area. /With reports from Correspondent Chris A. Ligan

Ayun, if Manila will not lead the way then let Cebu or even Davao do it. Perhaps we can get better results from an enlightened leadership in the secondary metro's!

Yeah, if Cebu or Davao will do it...it's likely that MM will follow suit.

It will be useful in Cebu and in Davao but will be a totally useless crap in Metro Manila since we do not have space to create special lanes for them and we already have LRT/MRT, let's just continue what we have started in rapid transit. Maybe a rubber-tyre metro could satisfy our needs here in MM.

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/7756/commdb9.jpg

Kung ganito kaluwag ang mga kalsada sa metro manila na lalagyan ng BRT walang problema.. Kaso di na applicable sa mga major roads ng manila ang BRT dahil masyadong maliliit.

that's commonwealth avenue right? you do not know how bad it is to travel in that road during rush hour! not to mention may gumagala raw na multo riyan. at saka tatayuan iyan ng MRT line 3. bakit mo pa lalagyan ng BRT?

In a gamma world city like Manila, BRTs would just add a burden to the city's expenses since LRT and MRT systems are already planned since Marcos regime. Here is the map:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3e/MetroManilaComplete.JPG

Di ko naman sinabi na dapat lagyan ng BRT ang Commonwealth, ang sabi ko kung ganyan lang sana kaluwag ang mga kalsada sa metro manila baka applicable pa ang BRT ;)

Di ko naman sinabi na dapat lagyan ng BRT ang Commonwealth, ang sabi ko kung ganyan lang sana kaluwag ang mga kalsada sa metro manila baka applicable pa ang BRT ;)

sorry.

pero yung mga maluluwag na kalsada ay endanged na sa metro manila kasi sa mga sidewalk vendors.

peace bro:nocrook:

Oo nga kaya nga tama lang ginagawa ni Bayani na linisan ang mga kasada sa mga vendors at iba pang obstruction para makabawas ng heavy traffic.

Make the buses stay and use the yellow lane on EDSA properly and fall inline in the terminals, no overtaking. parang BRT system na rin.

Make the buses stay and use the yellow lane on EDSA properly and fall inline in the terminals, no overtaking. parang BRT system na rin.

problema: yung mga bus, BUStos kaya sila.

Actually Manila needs to BRT much more than the secondary cities.

One first needs to take a look at the MM transport needs from a systemic basis and not a traffic paradigm. Traffic bothers us all but in the end the focus on kph averages on roads does not give a true picture of how many people are actually moving on them from point a to point b. The more appropriate measure is to see how much time the whole population takes for their usual commute times. This very much includes walking, rail, tricycles, buses, cars etc. Most measurements for traffic are have an automobile bias, and in this society only a fraction get to use this manner of conveyance. So kph per hour captures only one aspect of overall commuter problems. Now regardless of technology let's say we apply the idea of getting the most people from one place to the other in big volumes in the quickest amount of time possible. It does not take much common sense to realize that Using mass transit which can carry 100 people in one direction is more efficient than 50 to 100 cars going in the same direction. In other words quicker mass transit should be higher priority over plain simple fast moving traffic.

Now take this to Metro Manila, even if you close of certain parts of the road like commonwealth or C5 or EDSA exclusively to an MRT or some other form of mass transit, most people will agree this is a better deal and a public good.

Take it one step further, we know there are at least 4 more lines of rail being planned. Line 4, Line 5, Line 7 and Line 8. How many are actually on the ground, maybe line 7, maybe. Now look at the economics, More than billion for Line 7 rather than perhaps 100 Million for something similar. As a taxpayer would you not ask questions! Even more importantly how fast will these four lines ever come up to begin with. It takes years of complex legal, financial, engineering to come up with these things. In the meantime the need is here and now so that City planners can actually determine the shape the city to come. I'd say put it on now, if other cities can have 100 km of lines in a few years so can we and we can then address the real commuter transportation issues rather than viewing it strictly from a traffic standpoint.



Here's a very good article on the how's and why's very applicable arguments for here as well.


High capacity bus system and the road beyond

Madhav G. Badami

Bus Rapid Transit systems, like those being implemented in Delhi and other cities, can carry significantly far more people than conventional bus systems, and indeed, as many as some rail systems. By using road space efficiently and with minimal conflicts between modes, these systems can help meet mass mobility needs cost-effectively, safely, and equitably.

The HCBS (High Capacity Bus System) project being constructed in Delhi has recently been criticised in the press. Among other things, concerns have been raised about its implications for the flow of motor vehicles along the same corridor, but most importantly, the concept of HCBS, and its appropriateness in cities like Delhi, has been questioned.

Actually, more than 30 cities across Asia and Latin America, including those with large populations such as Beijing, Jakarta, Shanghai, and Mexico City, have implemented, or are implementing, such systems (Beijing intends to have a 100-kilometre network soon). But my purpose is to address the appropriateness of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) — the term used internationally for HCBS — in Indian cities. Per-capita income, and with it, personal motor vehicle ownership and activity, are growing rapidly in these cities but the majority is poor, and cannot afford even the least expensive motorised modes. The share of trips conducted by public transit, despite its sorry state, continues to be high. Public transit that is reliable, convenient, affordable, and widespread is vitally important in Indian cities, because low-income commuters will likely continue to depend on it for their economic survival, and also to curb personal motor vehicle use and mitigate its impacts.

While some Indian cities are implementing or considering Metro and other rail-based mass transit projects, it will be several years before they become fully operational, and most cities — particularly the medium sized ones — will have to rely predominantly on buses for their public transport needs for a long time. Besides, even when systems such as Metro (which cost over $40 million per km to build) are implemented in their entirety, they are unlikely to significantly reduce motor vehicle activity. Because of the high cost per km, the overall network is necessarily quite circumscribed. Further, because the bulk of urban trips are conducted over short and medium distances, and the time to access mass transit is relative to the journey time for these trips, the number of motor vehicle owning commuters who would use such a circumscribed network is likely to be quite limited, relative to the total number of motor vehicle users in rapidly growing and motorising metropolitan regions.

The potential to attract such commuters is further constrained in the case of Metro systems in Indian cities because, while fares have to be high in order to recoup their costs, motorised two-wheeled vehicles, the bulk of the motor vehicle fleet, offer their highly price-sensitive users door-to-door capability, unmatched navigability in congested road conditions and ease of parking, and the ability to carry passengers and luggage, at low cost. It is therefore far more likely that these vehicle users can be attracted to buses, provided they offer quality service at a reasonable price, than to expensive options such as the Metro. Besides, feeder buses will in any case be needed for Metro and other rail-based systems to be effective.

But buses, important as they are for affordably meeting mass mobility needs, perform inefficiently in congested, mixed traffic. This is precisely where BRT comes in. BRT systems like those being implemented in Delhi and other Asian and Latin American cities, by having buses run in dedicated lanes in the central median, and passengers board and alight rapidly, can potentially carry significantly far more people per hour than conventional bus systems, and indeed, as many per hour as some rail systems. This enhanced effectiveness is important for existing users and also for attracting personal motor vehicle owning commuters. Not only that, because BRT systems involve buses, personal motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians using road space with minimal conflicts with one another, in their own lanes, all modes are able to operate more efficiently, therefore potentially allowing the movement of a significantly higher number of people per hour overall, while also causing vehicular energy consumption, air pollution, and accident rates, to be significantly reduced.

As importantly, BRT systems are significantly less expensive than equivalent rail-based mass transit — Bogota’s BRT cost about one-seventh per km relative to Mexico City’s Line B Metro, while providing the same passenger capacity. This comparison of the actual performance and cost-effectiveness of equivalent BRT and Metro in similar contexts shows that a far more widespread network, potentially serving more passengers, may be provided with BRT than with Metro, with the same investment. Also, BRT can be constructed and expanded more readily and flexibly, using existing road infrastructure. BRT systems are therefore ideally suited, when properly designed and implemented, to be low cost mass transit solutions that are appropriate for Indian and other rapidly motorising, low-income country cities. Of course, rail-based mass transit can play an important role in certain circumstances, as in Mumbai. And where rail-based mass transit is being built, as in Delhi, such systems and BRT can, and should, be designed to complement each other.

Important as mass transit options are, measures to curb personal motor vehicle activity and ensuring access for pedestrians and cyclists are also essential, for mitigating rapidly worsening urban transport impacts, but also to ensure that mass transit is effective. Mass transit will do little to curb vehicular congestion and other impacts unless it attracts personal motor vehicle users in sizeable numbers. It cannot do so as long as transit is less time advantageous than personal motor vehicle use, and the monetary and time cost of personal motor vehicle use is low. This is why the provision of mass transit has to go hand in hand with policies to price personal motor vehicle use to cover its market if not its social costs, and to discourage their use. While such policies would be unacceptable without providing adequate quality mass transit, mass transit will not be truly effective without measures to curb motor vehicle activity.

In this regard, one aspect of motor vehicle use that needs serious attention in Indian cities is parking. Studies worldwide have shown that parking availability and pricing are a major determinant of automobile use. As long as parking is abundant, and priced low or is free, the perceived cost of driving will be low, and personal motor vehicle users will have little incentive to even consider mass transit, high quality though it may be. Parking control and pricing will be difficult to implement, especially for two-wheeled motor vehicles, which can be parked easily anywhere, but it would help curb motor vehicle use, render mass transit more attractive and serve as a means of funding it, and make traffic flow more efficient for all modes. Implementation difficulties may be eased by carefully phasing in the supply of parking, and its control and pricing, simultaneously with expanding reliable, convenient and affordable mass transit.

Accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists is so compromised, due to rapid motorisation and provision of infrastructure to accommodate it, that walking and cycling have become extremely difficult and hazardous; pedestrians and cyclists account for the majority of road accident deaths, although they contribute the least to them. Providing adequate facilities for these modes is not only just in Indian cities, in which the majority does not own personal motor vehicles, it will also benefit mass transit. Because of compromised access, even short trips, which account for a large proportion of all trips, and are the most capable of being conducted on foot or bicycle, are made in personal motor vehicles, needlessly increasing congestion and other impacts, and making it less likely that mass transit will be considered, given that the ease of getting to it is crucially important in this regard.

It is imperative that, in addition to providing reliable, convenient, affordable, and widespread mass transit, we appropriately price and curb personal motor vehicle use, and provide for pedestrians and cyclists. These measures, which would enhance the effectiveness of mass transit, mitigate urban transport impacts, and serve the interests of all, including personal motor vehicle users, will admittedly be difficult — politically, if not technically — but must be implemented if we want our cities to be liveable. Not to do so is to take the fast road to collective misery, as much for personal motor vehicle users as for everyone else.

(Madhav Badami teaches in the School of Urban Planning and the McGill School of Environment at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.)

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/05/stories/2007120553611000.htm

Actually Manila needs to BRT much more than the secondary cities.

One first needs to take a look at the MM transport needs from a systemic basis and not a traffic paradigm. Traffic bothers us all but in the end the focus on kph averages on roads does not give a true picture of how many people are actually moving on them from point a to point b. The more appropriate measure is to see how much time the whole population takes for their usual commute times. This very much includes walking, rail, tricycles, buses, cars etc. Most measurements for traffic are have an automobile bias, and in this society only a fraction get to use this manner of conveyance. So kph per hour captures only one aspect of overall commuter problems. Now regardless of technology let's say we apply the idea of getting the most people from one place to the other in big volumes in the quickest amount of time possible. It does not take much common sense to realize that Using mass transit which can carry 100 people in one direction is more efficient than 50 to 100 cars going in the same direction. In other words quicker mass transit should be higher priority over plain simple fast moving traffic.

Now take this to Metro Manila, even if you close of certain parts of the road like commonwealth or C5 or EDSA exclusively to an MRT or some other form of mass transit, most people will agree this is a better deal and a public good.

Take it one step further, we know there are at least 4 more lines of rail being planned. Line 4, Line 5, Line 7 and Line 8. How many are actually on the ground, maybe line 7, maybe. Now look at the economics, More than billion for Line 7 rather than perhaps 100 Million for something similar. As a taxpayer would you not ask questions! Even more importantly how fast will these four lines ever come up to begin with. It takes years of complex legal, financial, engineering to come up with these things. In the meantime the need is here and now so that City planners can actually determine the shape the city to come. I'd say put it on now, if other cities can have 100 km of lines in a few years so can we and we can then address the real commuter transportation issues rather than viewing it strictly from a traffic standpoint.



Here's a very good article on the how's and why's very applicable arguments for here as well.


High capacity bus system and the road beyond

Madhav G. Badami

Bus Rapid Transit systems, like those being implemented in Delhi and other cities, can carry significantly far more people than conventional bus systems, and indeed, as many as some rail systems. By using road space efficiently and with minimal conflicts between modes, these systems can help meet mass mobility needs cost-effectively, safely, and equitably.

The HCBS (High Capacity Bus System) project being constructed in Delhi has recently been criticised in the press. Among other things, concerns have been raised about its implications for the flow of motor vehicles along the same corridor, but most importantly, the concept of HCBS, and its appropriateness in cities like Delhi, has been questioned.

Actually, more than 30 cities across Asia and Latin America, including those with large populations such as Beijing, Jakarta, Shanghai, and Mexico City, have implemented, or are implementing, such systems (Beijing intends to have a 100-kilometre network soon). But my purpose is to address the appropriateness of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) — the term used internationally for HCBS — in Indian cities. Per-capita income, and with it, personal motor vehicle ownership and activity, are growing rapidly in these cities but the majority is poor, and cannot afford even the least expensive motorised modes. The share of trips conducted by public transit, despite its sorry state, continues to be high. Public transit that is reliable, convenient, affordable, and widespread is vitally important in Indian cities, because low-income commuters will likely continue to depend on it for their economic survival, and also to curb personal motor vehicle use and mitigate its impacts.

While some Indian cities are implementing or considering Metro and other rail-based mass transit projects, it will be several years before they become fully operational, and most cities — particularly the medium sized ones — will have to rely predominantly on buses for their public transport needs for a long time. Besides, even when systems such as Metro (which cost over $40 million per km to build) are implemented in their entirety, they are unlikely to significantly reduce motor vehicle activity. Because of the high cost per km, the overall network is necessarily quite circumscribed. Further, because the bulk of urban trips are conducted over short and medium distances, and the time to access mass transit is relative to the journey time for these trips, the number of motor vehicle owning commuters who would use such a circumscribed network is likely to be quite limited, relative to the total number of motor vehicle users in rapidly growing and motorising metropolitan regions.

The potential to attract such commuters is further constrained in the case of Metro systems in Indian cities because, while fares have to be high in order to recoup their costs, motorised two-wheeled vehicles, the bulk of the motor vehicle fleet, offer their highly price-sensitive users door-to-door capability, unmatched navigability in congested road conditions and ease of parking, and the ability to carry passengers and luggage, at low cost. It is therefore far more likely that these vehicle users can be attracted to buses, provided they offer quality service at a reasonable price, than to expensive options such as the Metro. Besides, feeder buses will in any case be needed for Metro and other rail-based systems to be effective.

But buses, important as they are for affordably meeting mass mobility needs, perform inefficiently in congested, mixed traffic. This is precisely where BRT comes in. BRT systems like those being implemented in Delhi and other Asian and Latin American cities, by having buses run in dedicated lanes in the central median, and passengers board and alight rapidly, can potentially carry significantly far more people per hour than conventional bus systems, and indeed, as many per hour as some rail systems. This enhanced effectiveness is important for existing users and also for attracting personal motor vehicle owning commuters. Not only that, because BRT systems involve buses, personal motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians using road space with minimal conflicts with one another, in their own lanes, all modes are able to operate more efficiently, therefore potentially allowing the movement of a significantly higher number of people per hour overall, while also causing vehicular energy consumption, air pollution, and accident rates, to be significantly reduced.

As importantly, BRT systems are significantly less expensive than equivalent rail-based mass transit — Bogota’s BRT cost about one-seventh per km relative to Mexico City’s Line B Metro, while providing the same passenger capacity. This comparison of the actual performance and cost-effectiveness of equivalent BRT and Metro in similar contexts shows that a far more widespread network, potentially serving more passengers, may be provided with BRT than with Metro, with the same investment. Also, BRT can be constructed and expanded more readily and flexibly, using existing road infrastructure. BRT systems are therefore ideally suited, when properly designed and implemented, to be low cost mass transit solutions that are appropriate for Indian and other rapidly motorising, low-income country cities. Of course, rail-based mass transit can play an important role in certain circumstances, as in Mumbai. And where rail-based mass transit is being built, as in Delhi, such systems and BRT can, and should, be designed to complement each other.

Important as mass transit options are, measures to curb personal motor vehicle activity and ensuring access for pedestrians and cyclists are also essential, for mitigating rapidly worsening urban transport impacts, but also to ensure that mass transit is effective. Mass transit will do little to curb vehicular congestion and other impacts unless it attracts personal motor vehicle users in sizeable numbers. It cannot do so as long as transit is less time advantageous than personal motor vehicle use, and the monetary and time cost of personal motor vehicle use is low. This is why the provision of mass transit has to go hand in hand with policies to price personal motor vehicle use to cover its market if not its social costs, and to discourage their use. While such policies would be unacceptable without providing adequate quality mass transit, mass transit will not be truly effective without measures to curb motor vehicle activity.

In this regard, one aspect of motor vehicle use that needs serious attention in Indian cities is parking. Studies worldwide have shown that parking availability and pricing are a major determinant of automobile use. As long as parking is abundant, and priced low or is free, the perceived cost of driving will be low, and personal motor vehicle users will have little incentive to even consider mass transit, high quality though it may be. Parking control and pricing will be difficult to implement, especially for two-wheeled motor vehicles, which can be parked easily anywhere, but it would help curb motor vehicle use, render mass transit more attractive and serve as a means of funding it, and make traffic flow more efficient for all modes. Implementation difficulties may be eased by carefully phasing in the supply of parking, and its control and pricing, simultaneously with expanding reliable, convenient and affordable mass transit.

Accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists is so compromised, due to rapid motorisation and provision of infrastructure to accommodate it, that walking and cycling have become extremely difficult and hazardous; pedestrians and cyclists account for the majority of road accident deaths, although they contribute the least to them. Providing adequate facilities for these modes is not only just in Indian cities, in which the majority does not own personal motor vehicles, it will also benefit mass transit. Because of compromised access, even short trips, which account for a large proportion of all trips, and are the most capable of being conducted on foot or bicycle, are made in personal motor vehicles, needlessly increasing congestion and other impacts, and making it less likely that mass transit will be considered, given that the ease of getting to it is crucially important in this regard.

It is imperative that, in addition to providing reliable, convenient, affordable, and widespread mass transit, we appropriately price and curb personal motor vehicle use, and provide for pedestrians and cyclists. These measures, which would enhance the effectiveness of mass transit, mitigate urban transport impacts, and serve the interests of all, including personal motor vehicle users, will admittedly be difficult — politically, if not technically — but must be implemented if we want our cities to be liveable. Not to do so is to take the fast road to collective misery, as much for personal motor vehicle users as for everyone else.

(Madhav Badami teaches in the School of Urban Planning and the McGill School of Environment at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.)

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/05/stories/2007120553611000.htm

these lines are put for more efficiency, mas maganda kasi ang mga rapid transit sa Metro manila kasi maraming tao ang kinakailangang bumiyahe, isa pa, trapik na at wala na ngang pwesto, lalo pa nating palalalain ang sitwasyon. Sobra-sobra na ang sakripisyo ng mga motorista, sa langis, sa trapik, at pati sa kotong. So I say, let the BRT be deployed in Cebu and Davao instead since hindi raw magiging profitable ang LRT/MRT doon unlike Manila.

Anyways, we pay taxes for good services, not for stripped-down services like BRT. Agree pa ako sa rubber-tire metro pero sa BRT in Manila. Why do we need them here if they are needed more in other cities? Problema na ang trapik sa masikip na daan, lalo lang nating palalalain kapag naglagay pa tayo niyan.

para masaya, may ipapakita ako sa inyo:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Spurbus_Mannheim1.jpg

^^I think you are missing the point,Metro Manila needs a "comprehensive" mass transport system.BRT is one of the options as it is cheaper to implement.Mass transport means for everyone,from people who can't afford cars to people who inspite of their physical disability need to have normal lives and be able to travel with ease.BRT can provide this basic need, which is still not being provided by politicians.If people on their own cars get caught in the traffic because they were affected by BRT? Tough! Then they just have to deal with it,for BRT's are basically made for the majority of the people who can't afford to but their own cars(which most of the people in the metro are anyway).

^^I think you are missing the point,Metro Manila needs a "comprehensive" mass transport system.BRT is one of the options as it is cheaper to implement.Mass transport means for everyone,from people who can't afford cars to people who inspite of their physical disability need to have normal lives and be able to travel with ease.BRT can provide this basic need, which is still not being provided by politicians.If people on their own cars get caught in the traffic because they were affected by BRT? Tough! Then they just have to deal with it,for BRT's are basically made for the majority of the people who can't afford to but their own cars(which most of the people in the metro are anyway).

hindi pa ba comprehensive ang LRT/MRT, kalat na nga ang network nila kahit hindi pa buo ang network nito.

Copy you mate!But if you live in Manila you will know that mass transport system is`one of the basic needs that is basically forgotten by the politicians we have.I'm sorry to say that LRT/MRT's though they are of great help,still fails to do it's job because of it's limited lines.And we need mass transport NOW! BRT's can fill that gap.But at the end of the day,no matter how much we debate on this matter,one thing is for sure.Politicians in Metro Manila does not prioritize Mass Transpo,and because of this mentality the people who cannot afford to buy their own cars,most specially the poor old and disabled will continue to be transport outcasts.

Make the buses stay and use the yellow lane on EDSA properly and fall inline in the terminals, no overtaking. parang BRT system na rin.

I beg to disagree. Have you seen the actual buses and operations of BRT? I have seen two cities with BRT. The buses are more modern compared to the ones that travel in Metro Manila. They are organized, with ticketing system similar to our LRT/MRT, bigger capacity for passengers, with exclusive lanes. The government should provide a comfortable mode of transportation to the greater majority of the people. The common tao would surely benefit this BRT.

I've seen BRT even in four lane road (two lane per side), thus it is applicable to secondary roads as well. If you noticed the map earlier presented (to the one who posted, thank you!), not all roads are covered with rail. I believe BRT would solve the problem and jeepneys (the symbol of 1950's) would be gone, and finally would enhance the look of Metro Manila and other major cities that would implement it.

I think one key idea that takes hold of people who are against BRT (or more bus lanes in general) is that Transport Planning is mostly about lessening traffic. This is taken from a mostly private motorist point of view where in if you take one more lane out of a road then there is less roads for you to drive in and hence more traffic. But if that one lane that has been taken out has some sort of mass transport System, be it rail or Bus, then it will probably transport more people in that lane than if it had been occupied by mostly private vehicles.

A good example of this is actually in front of our Eyes.

When MRT3 was being planned all the motoring and bus groups howled that the removal of a lane would create so much more traffic. Fast forward to today where that system (mrt3) actually is at a breaking point from overuse. It transports more in the two lanes it occupies than all of the other lanes put together and then some. Just imagine if they needed to ply by private car, FX, or bus. How much more traffic would actually occur!

The choice now between using rail based or Bus type systems for mass transit is primarily a matter of economics. What can you afford. We all know that the GOP is working on 4 rail based projects right now primarily serving MM. By all acounts this is not enough so do we wait for another 10 years or more probably more before we put up the next 10 to 15 lines that we actually need when there are other effective and practical alternatives such as BRT that exist? MM and the rest of the other cities does not have that luxury. We are all in a competition for investments to grow and infrastructure is a primary key to increase productivity which INvestors look at. We need such Mass transit systems NOW, ASAP.

I agree. I say let's have both. Why does it have to be either or? After all not all areas/cities/cbds are accessible to MRT/LRT. I do think BRT and MRT/LRT can co-exist and complement each other to reduce traffic as well as smog in our cities/cbds and we'll be better off in the process. Even better is we can use these new buses mentioned in the article Tyronne posted...

LTFRB: Old buses out, hybrids in
Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=115165
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/images/news/newspics/04-15-2008/bus.jpg


The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will phase out old buses to give way to pollution free-hybrid units.

The LTFRB said the phase-out will be carried out this year on buses that are more than 15 years old.

"Buses that will not be used anymore will be bought for scrap by financing institutions and will be recycled. The money will then be used as deposit for new units," said LTFRB chairman Thompson Lantion, citing a directive from Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza.

Hybrid buses will be powered by electricity and compressed natural gas, making them safe from pollution.


China-made hybrid units will cost about P6 million each. These are the ones currently being used in the United States, China and Macau.

Bus operators said they can recover the amount from the oil which they will be able to save. They also said transportation fees may also go down with the new buses.

Officials said that an initial 200 units will be distributed to bus operators.

The Department of Transportation and Communications sees the hybrid bus as a solution to the increasing prices of petroleum products since it is powered by natural gas.

"This is cheaper. So if your fuel is cheaper, the driver will have a bigger take home pay," said DOTC Undersecretary Ann Lontoc.

BRT systems need new types of buses. Hindi tulad ng mga bus sa EDSA ngayon, mapa-aircon o ordinary bulok pa rin sa loob at siksikan ang mga tao. (no offense folks but this is really what I saw when I board a bus in Trinoma heading to Monumento.)

Agreed, for BRT to work you need a systemic approach not a piecemeal one that will make the system fail.

You need:
Dedicated lanes to control time's and headway
Dedicated stations to control access and payment in the stations for quick access to the vehicle
New buses or at least buses that must conform to the system design, preferably using newer technology or LPG for it's powertrain

This would ensure that it can get the high capacity (up and over 25,000 persons per hour each way) that we need

@3cr
This is not in lieu of lrts/mrts nor for use in all main thoroughfares, and the system should definitely compliment the Rail based systems (intermodal stations at mrt, lrt, north and south rail) and other key transport hubs e.g. airports, seaports, bus stations, fx stations, jeepneystations etc operating as both hub and feeder systems. The idea is a total systemic approach with Mass transit as the key cornerstone AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

^^ Good good like how it should be. We really need to phase out those aging and non compliant jeepneys and busses traversing the major thoroughfares and replace them with the more efficient busses using a BRT system.

Agency eyes bus rapid transit
By Rio N. Araja
Manila Standard
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=police1_april21_2008

THE Metro Manila Development Authority is keen on adopting the bus rapid transit of highly urbanized centers in South America to dovetail its organized bus route system and its radio frequency tagging drive.

Chairman Bayani Fernando said the system would be ideal for Edsa to ease congestion, quickly get passengers to their destinations, and lower the cost of gasoline consumption.

Fernando, executive director Angelito Vergel de Dios, Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista, and representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Urban Road Project Office and World Bank went to Bogota, Colombia, and Sau Paulo, Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a two-week observation of traffic and transportation management.

“Bautista and Gatchalian saw for themselves the gains of BRT to the economy,” he said, indicating the impact of the system on their own localities.

Citing Bogota’s Transmilenio, which was adapted from Curitiba’s model in 1974, Fernando noted the use of lanes for passenger buses only, and a uniform fare.

“Passengers pay at the pre-boarding fare payment, while bus drivers receive monthly salaries. Drivers are not paid on a commission basis.”

Vergel de Dios said the transport sector would be integrated and harmonized instead of being allowed to go into cut-throat and uneconomic competition.

“Under the system, bus operators organize themselves together, and allow another private firm to run the operation of their business,” he said.

“We were told by the mayor of Curitiba that the system can be done here in Metro Manila. The system is a simple solution to ease gridlock. Even the United States of America is adopting BRT.”

Transmilenio set up the infrastructure under the supervision of the government while the operation of a bus consortium including fare collection was placed under contract with private firms.

Vergel de Dios says the franchised 3,500 passenger buses plying the 24-kilometer Edsa and other major roads in Metro Manila would be reduced once BRT is put in place before 2010.

“Edsa is where passengers from the north and south directions as well as those from Manila meet,” he told Standard Today.

He said the agency’s improved Organized Bus Route scheme using the radio frequency identification technology is a prelude to BRT.

“Give us six months before we could introduce the BRT system to the bus operators. We would want to get the exact ratio of passengers to buses.”

Vergel de Dios claimed that the metropolis needed at least 10 bus firms to operate only 10 buses each to meet passenger demand.

I beg to disagree. Have you seen the actual buses and operations of BRT? I have seen two cities with BRT. The buses are more modern compared to the ones that travel in Metro Manila. They are organized, with ticketing system similar to our LRT/MRT, bigger capacity for passengers, with exclusive lanes. The government should provide a comfortable mode of transportation to the greater majority of the people. The common tao would surely benefit this BRT.

I've seen BRT even in four lane road (two lane per side), thus it is applicable to secondary roads as well. If you noticed the map earlier presented (to the one who posted, thank you!), not all roads are covered with rail. I believe BRT would solve the problem and jeepneys (the symbol of 1950's) would be gone, and finally would enhance the look of Metro Manila and other major cities that would implement it.

I agree. Depending on the volume of the traffic though, like some north american cities' BRT are sharing their lanes (for now) w/ the local traffic. Their dedicated lanes were due to be built once the volume of traffic increases.

Its a different story in manila though as dedicated lanes should be built if they decided to have a BRT. As what you folks said, we really need to implement both systems, and its about time to kick out those unsafe and unhealthy jeepneys and buses, as the best thing to do is to outlaw them to give way for new and modernized hybrid buses. Let's not forget though, while implementing a BRT system, they might as well seriously take care of their regular bus services owned by private operators and modernize them like those of Fort Bus.

Agency eyes bus rapid transit
By Rio N. Araja
Manila Standard
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=police1_april21_2008

THE Metro Manila Development Authority is keen on adopting the bus rapid transit of highly urbanized centers in South America to dovetail its organized bus route system and its radio frequency tagging drive.

Chairman Bayani Fernando said the system would be ideal for Edsa to ease congestion, quickly get passengers to their destinations, and lower the cost of gasoline consumption.

Fernando, executive director Angelito Vergel de Dios, Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista, and representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Urban Road Project Office and World Bank went to Bogota, Colombia, and Sau Paulo, Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a two-week observation of traffic and transportation management.

“Bautista and Gatchalian saw for themselves the gains of BRT to the economy,” he said, indicating the impact of the system on their own localities.

Citing Bogota’s Transmilenio, which was adapted from Curitiba’s model in 1974, Fernando noted the use of lanes for passenger buses only, and a uniform fare.

“Passengers pay at the pre-boarding fare payment, while bus drivers receive monthly salaries. Drivers are not paid on a commission basis.”

Vergel de Dios said the transport sector would be integrated and harmonized instead of being allowed to go into cut-throat and uneconomic competition.

“Under the system, bus operators organize themselves together, and allow another private firm to run the operation of their business,” he said.

“We were told by the mayor of Curitiba that the system can be done here in Metro Manila. The system is a simple solution to ease gridlock. Even the United States of America is adopting BRT.”

Transmilenio set up the infrastructure under the supervision of the government while the operation of a bus consortium including fare collection was placed under contract with private firms.

Vergel de Dios says the franchised 3,500 passenger buses plying the 24-kilometer Edsa and other major roads in Metro Manila would be reduced once BRT is put in place before 2010.

“Edsa is where passengers from the north and south directions as well as those from Manila meet,” he told Standard Today.

He said the agency’s improved Organized Bus Route scheme using the radio frequency identification technology is a prelude to BRT.

“Give us six months before we could introduce the BRT system to the bus operators. We would want to get the exact ratio of passengers to buses.”

Vergel de Dios claimed that the metropolis needed at least 10 bus firms to operate only 10 buses each to meet passenger demand.

This is a good start. These officials now realize the benefits of BRT system especially to the average Filipinos who endure the traffic jam, dilapidated buses and jeepneys every day.

If BRT's start to ply from EDSA,it might start the mass transport revolution that Metro Manila badly needs.It might encourage more people to use the public transport thereby lessening car volume,thus improving air quality and resulting to healthier filipino kids.:banana::banana::banana:

I wonder how will the operators(bus, jeepneys and fx) take this.. Alam niyo naman yung iba sa kanila. Metro Manila definitely needs this(no need to tell why).

Sana matuloy!

Great to hear they are thinking of implementing this on EDSA.

If you look at the last paragraph, 10 buses from 10 companies! That's just 100 buses!!! That's surely a load less from EDSA.

El Dasik the answer to your question is above. The companies will be reformed to form part of the overall solution to minimize oponents to the scheme.

This would also allow the buses to move jeepneys out of some jeepney routes (smaller footprint per carrying capacity) and move the jeepneys to unserved routes and tricycle routes and henceforth.

kung magtayo kaya sila ng isang centralized bus station diyan sa EDSA parang sa San Fernando City (P) at Cabanatuan City para mabawasan ang trapik diyan dulot ng sari-saring bus terminals? Tingnan ninyo ang nangyari sa ibang bus terminals, sinara dahil sa umaatras sila sa EDSA.

Actually this is exactly what Bayani wanted to do. Close down all private terminals and make them use a centralized northern and southern terminal but the bus companies went to court and as of last I heard they had won their case! These guys cause a lot of traffic in cubao, they basically stop EDSA so they can get in their terminal.

isara na nga dapat lahat ng provincial terminal sa Cubao tapos ilipat nila sa may QC triangle (future CBD). Actually meron ng terminal ngayon doon kaso nilalangaw pa hindi pa tinatangkilik. Gawan nila ng magandang masterplan na na mala airport ang sistema ng pagsakay ng mga tao.

i heard they have a "nose in nose out" policy..

Actually this is exactly what Bayani wanted to do. Close down all private terminals and make them use a centralized northern and southern terminal but the bus companies went to court and as of last I heard they had won their case! These guys cause a lot of traffic in cubao, they basically stop EDSA so they can get in their terminal.

Give you all examples about that:


Yung tito ko sa San Fernando City (P) na nagtatrabaho sa Victory Liner doon, pinasara ng city government yung bus terminal nila pero nanalo sila sa kaso dahil gusto silang ilipat sa Central Terminal ng San Fernando. (medyo may point ang bus companies sa ginawa nila kasi malayo naman talaga sa CBD ng San Fernando ang terminal at dahil dito, nagkaproblema ng ilang ulit ang mga bus na papuntang Olongapo City.) Nabasa ko pa nga yung buong court order na bumabawi sa ginawa ng city government at may "SO ORDERED" pa.
Yung JAC Liner sa Lucena City, sinara rin ng city government yun at nais silang ilipat sa Lucena Grand Terminal pero pumalag ang JAC Liner. Nanalo sila.

Sa madaling salita, bawal sa batas ang basta magpasara ng bus terminal. Kailangang bayaran sila ng government para maisara ang mga terminals nila. Sa mga kasong nakita ninyo sa itaas, basta na lang (yatang?) pinasara ang mga terminal na ito nang walang bayad.

Kailangang bayaran ng MMDA ang lahat ng bus terminals upang payagan sila ng korte sa gagawin nilang pagsasara. Ang problema, mamumulubi naman ang MMDA rito.

^^ tsaka bakit MMDA ang magbabayad?? diba dapat ang local gov't (in this case, QC)??:)

Because MMDA is the one who has the hot eyes against them, not the QC government. Sa mga lalawigan lang iyon nangyayari kung saan ang city/municipal government ang magbabayad sa mga bus terminal na gigibain at ite-takeover.

Having all provincial buses pass through to the middle of any city is obviously going to cause traffic. That's why it's best to centralize them even if it's a little far from downtown, that's where an integrated plan comes in. YOu have only local buses bring the people from downtown to the bus terminal, same like in the airport or seaport..

The problem is many provincial buses also like to pick up passengers in the main areas, so they cause even more traffic. Actually what can be done is to rationalize the lines so they can't get the franchise unfortunately that's another agency and it's friendlier to buses companies than to gov't.

Actually this is exactly what Bayani wanted to do. Close down all private terminals and make them use a centralized northern and southern terminal but the bus companies went to court and as of last I heard they had won their case! These guys cause a lot of traffic in cubao, they basically stop EDSA so they can get in their terminal.Actually, I won't be surprised with that. The MMDA has always been a loser in our courts because of its nature. I believe, the MMDA is only for administrative and recommendatory role in MM. It doesn't have that much power. I've heard a lot of plans from MMDA which were stopped by the court.

Having all provincial buses pass through to the middle of any city is obviously going to cause traffic. That's why it's best to centralize them even if it's a little far from downtown, that's where an integrated plan comes in. YOu have only local buses bring the people from downtown to the bus terminal, same like in the airport or seaport..

The problem is many provincial buses also like to pick up passengers in the main areas, so they cause even more traffic. Actually what can be done is to rationalize the lines so they can't get the franchise unfortunately that's another agency and it's friendlier to buses companies than to gov't.This is so true!

They should think of using buses like these, they can carry upwards of 200+ passengers at full capacity!

Sweden
http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/7377/articleimage21630hg9.jpg

Brazil
http://www.hallekis.com/arkiv/xx041021-buss.jpg

Colombia
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2076/2102889616_d0eb375269.jpg

Netherlands
http://www.wisoveg.de/bve/sichtungen/mai2003/doppel2.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/3phileas2.jpg

They should think of using buses like these, they can carry upwards of 200+ passengers at full capacity!

Sweden
http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/7377/articleimage21630hg9.jpg

Brazil
http://www.hallekis.com/arkiv/xx041021-buss.jpg

Colombia
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2076/2102889616_d0eb375269.jpg

Netherlands
http://www.wisoveg.de/bve/sichtungen/mai2003/doppel2.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/3phileas2.jpg

pero mahirap lumiko ang mga bus na iyan, kailangan nila ng sariling lanes na may malalaking liko.

^^ They should just use them in major thoroughfares in the Metro then.

The buses would surely enhance the looks of Metro Manila and other cities that would implement BRT. The system is pro-people, affordable and less pollution.

i like that particular bus at the bottom, very stylish... imagine if metro manila have those type of buses... if we gonna use these extended buses, mas makakatipid tayo ng oras, mas maraming tao kasi maiisakay... parang trains narinsila sa lrt...

They should think of using buses like these, they can carry upwards of 200+ passengers at full capacity!

Sweden
http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/7377/articleimage21630hg9.jpg

Brazil
http://www.hallekis.com/arkiv/xx041021-buss.jpg

Colombia
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2076/2102889616_d0eb375269.jpg

Netherlands
http://www.wisoveg.de/bve/sichtungen/mai2003/doppel2.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/3phileas2.jpg

Mas Ok nga ito kasi ma-oocupy nya ung buong stretch ng mga loading/unloading Bay sa Edsa ng MMDA. Wala namang mga sharp curves sa edsa kaya walang magiging problem dito masyado.

^^At maiiwasan na ang mga pagsingit-singit ng mga buses. Sigurado pag ganyan ang bus hindi na sila magsisingitan. :lol:

Yup, kaso ang problema kung pano mapapatupad iyong ganyan sa edsa sa sobrang dami ng bus operator and drivers ang maapektuhan. Pero sigurado may paraan. =)

Due to many factors that I have got no time to explain, the long term trend for oil price is upwards. Considering that traffic congestion in the Philippines is currently costing Filipinos hundreds of millions a year through:

- additional petrol cost
- lost working hours
- lost business opportunities
- health related costs
- lost of potential tourists revenue
- etc., etc.

this would mean that solving the congestion is much more important than ever. In addition, the emission of greenhouse gases could be reduced dramatically once traffic is improved.

It is time for the government to act. Manila Mayor Lim has done the right thing in Manila when he decided to ban buses in the city. Traffic in Metro Manila especially in Edsa could be improved significantly through simple solutions such as banning or regulating the free for all private buses (number one cause of traffic and smoke belching on Philippine roads) and replacing them with a systematized well regulated buses plying specific routes.

What do you think?

I think you got it the other way around.

Don't you want to promote mass public transporation. I would encourage more people taking the bus instead of driving their own cars to work.
What about those people who don't have cars how would they communte to work if there are no buses?
If its the LRT, What happens if their stop is in between the 2 stations?

I do agree they must crack down down on the smoke belching buses.

The MMDA Chair claims that their recent trip to South American cities like Bogota and Curitiba, sponsored by the WB, were eye openers and that he is convinced that BRT is the way to go for MM. The same observations were made by his companions including VM Herbert Bautista and some MM mayors. Sadly, it had to take a trip (junket?) sponsored by the WB for them to "believe" in this solution, when a lot of groups including the DOTC have been lobbying for MM to have a BRT. There have even been presentations to the MM Council (with BF presiding) where the same examples of BRT systems in Curitiba and Bogota have been presented complete with visuals and cost comparisons (to rail). Maybe its the Chair's way of saying it has to be his idea and not others' for him to adopt such solutions to MM's traffic mess? After all, history and experience seem to confirm this behavior/trend.

^^
My apologies for not being clear. Yes, public transpo by all means has long been overdue. My proposal is actually to get rid of those free-for-all private buses competing on passengers like hawkers in the markets and replace them with state (could be in partnership with private) run buses. There has to be a system in it and it has to be organized.

I hope the article above which said they had a less than one year timetable would push through, boy what huge improvement that would be!

I think for a line like EDSA or commonwealth or Quezon Ave. Somthing like those high capacity bendy buses would make a lot of sense. I don't recally too many sharp curves and the high capacity would really transport a lot of people.

^^At maiiwasan na ang mga pagsingit-singit ng mga buses. Sigurado pag ganyan ang bus hindi na sila magsisingitan. :lol:

Kailangan lang naman, -seminar mabuti ng mga bus drivers na yan, lalo na sa paggamit ng PUB designated lanes at hindi mag-overtake at makipagsingitan. Tapos ang traffic police mag-enforce nito ng law para siguradohin sumunod ang mga drivers. Minsan talaga ang alam ko yuong ibang drivers na yan hindi marunong magbasa at magsulat masyaado. Pero maganda talaga kung sunsonduin ang BRT system na yan.

Hindi ba nuong panahon nila Marcos may mga stretched buses na ganyan nuon sa buong metro Manila???

Improving public transport along EDSA and other arterials aren't the exclusive province of the MMDA. The LTFRB, LTO, PNP-TMG and the LGUs should also pitch in AND all these agencies should work hand in hand. The problem is really system-wide and it doesn't help that each agency seem to go their own way. So even if we do implement a BRT in Metro Manila, what's to stop other vehicles from using the lanes that are supposed to be dedicated to the buses.

There should also be a rule pertaining to the interior configuration or lay-out of the bus. Current BRT vehicles like the ones in the photos in previous posts are configured much like trains with parallel seats and with generous space for standing passengers. Such configuration dramatically increases the capacity of vehicles and is appropriate for city operations. Most if not all of our city buses are configured for long-distance travel with space dedicated to seated passengers. Note the new buses plying the EDSA routes that even have baggage compartments are not the typical types for city operation but are more suitable for provincial routes.

there were pictures in the philstar yesterday showing bf trying out and driving these brt buses. enough with the old, junk, pollution prone 2nd hand buses plying the metropolis today, in with the brt system...

greenshiels is right though that the system must be holistic, a study of all brt's that failed (and there are a few) have shown that the system did not have all the neccesary requirement for it to work as true mass transit

di puede hilaw otherwise it will fail at masasabihan lang di puedeng gamitin iyung sistemang iyan dito

actually there is a planned private BRT being studied right now , it's a full blown feasibility for a BRT type connection between makati and the fort, hope it includes the whole fort up to north gate and mckinley hill and beyond, even to t3 di magkalyo iyon

hybrid and brt buses are my favorite.

can we still use double decker bus in metro manila? is there enough overhead clearance especially along those "underpasses" in edsa? kasi parang mababa lalo na dun sa Shaw MRT Station

can we still use double decker bus in metro manila? is there enough overhead clearance especially along those "underpasses" in edsa? kasi parang mababa lalo na dun sa Shaw MRT Station

Imposible na silang makabalik sa kalsada dahil sa masyado nang mababa ang clearance para sa kanila (especially the Line 1 of LRT and Quezon Avenue MRT Station). Speaking of Shaw Boulevard station, they could still use the Shaw Boulevard underpass at.

Kung gusto pa rin ninyo ng double decker bus, kumuha tayo ng high-decker bus, ibaba ang space sa ilalim ng bus (pero magreresulta ito ng umbok sa ibaba dahil sa mga gulong) at iyon na pwede na ang double decker nang hindi nagkakaroon ng modifications sa vertical clearance.

Still possible actually , the standard roadway clearance for all structures: overpasses, trains, lines is supposed to be 14 feet or 4.3 meters.

Assuming everyone followed this standard ( a might assumption in itself indeed), then theoretically with double deck buses ranging from 13 to 14.5 feet, certain models would certainly fit in it.

The key is if all the roadway structures followed the clearance, I still remember being in a traffic jam once when a double decker bus of MTC was stuck under the pedestrian overpass in guadalupe, the solution: they let the air out of the tires and the bus rolled right on by.

This may not be for BRT or EDSA but I think this would really work for more narrow roads where space is a premium so that there is a lot of carrying capacity in a 2.5 by 12 (from 80 up to 100 in crush conditions) space rather than the equivalent 8 to 10 jeeps.

This may not be for BRT or EDSA but I think this would really work for more narrow roads where space is a premium so that there is a lot of carrying capacity in a 2.5 by 12 (from 80 up to 100 in crush conditions) space rather than the equivalent 8 to 10 jeeps.

Indeed....jeepneys should be phased out gradually in all major and secondary roads.

Still possible actually , the standard roadway clearance for all structures: overpasses, trains, lines is supposed to be 14 feet or 4.3 meters.

Assuming everyone followed this standard ( a might assumption in itself indeed), then theoretically with double deck buses ranging from 13 to 14.5 feet, certain models would certainly fit in it.

The key is if all the roadway structures followed the clearance, I still remember being in a traffic jam once when a double decker bus of MTC was stuck under the pedestrian overpass in guadalupe, the solution: they let the air out of the tires and the bus rolled right on by.

This may not be for BRT or EDSA but I think this would really work for more narrow roads where space is a premium so that there is a lot of carrying capacity in a 2.5 by 12 (from 80 up to 100 in crush conditions) space rather than the equivalent 8 to 10 jeeps.

pwede siang pang-bgc xD

Indeed....jeepneys should be phased out gradually in all major and secondary roads.

gustuhin man natin ito, parang ang hirap at takot ang govt sa kanila. madami din mga leftist groups na associated sila.

I think hindi rin pwdeng phase-out ang jeepney dahil ito ang major transportation ng pilipinas and kung mawala ito hindi kaya ng MRT/LRT, buss o kahit pa BRT ang dami ng tao at saka hindi ito kakasya sa mga narrow road sa mga cities and municipalities sa metro manila.

siguro ang mairerecommend ko is bawasan o iregulate ang mga jeep and magset sila na minimum capacity ng mga jeep in the future .Kung sa panahon ngayun eh meron mga around 15 seater o mas mababa pa dapat in the next few years implement nila na dapat ang minimum is 30 passenger per jeep. tama ba guys? OT na ito BRT yung topic.

The topic of jeepneys is actually relevant to BRT as we all would like to have an efficient transport system. I would like to think that the jeepney currently plays a major role but it is an overextended one. In the evolution of transport systems, various modes including walking have their rightful/appropriate place considering factors such as travel distance, comfort, convenience and affordability. Buses and the rail-based modes have their established niches in the hierarchy of transport modes with walking being on the other end of the hierarchy. In the middle are the paratransit modes such as taxis and, in our case, jeepneys. BRT would indeed be somewhere in between the buses and rail as they approximate the high capacities of rail-based mass transit systems at a fraction of the cost.

In a nutshell, we have to establish a clear hierarchy for public transport in our country and government should exert all effort and provide guidance for this hierarchy to be realized. An ideal situation would be for LGU's to determine when to "graduate" from tricycles to jeepneys to buses to BRT and maybe to rail.

I'm glad to see the BRT system being introduced slowly but surely as this system will definitely help ease not only traffic congestion but also smog in our CBD corridors.

EDSA traffic may cost over P1B in gas, lost manhours, frayed tempers
By MYLA IGLESIAS
Malaya
http://www.malaya.com.ph/may01/busi2.htm

The current horrendous EDSA traffic which spills over to all Metro Manila roads will cost an amazing P1 billion in lost gas, manhours, and frayed tempers before it will be resolved.

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) yesterday said that the traffic congestion will hopefully start to ease by June leaving Metro Manilans an exact one month to suffer the average two-hour delay in travel time.

Angelito Vergel De Dios MMDA director in traffic operations said that the build-up in EDSA (Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue) was due to the construction of an unloading and loading platforms in Guadalupe and Buendia which started last week.

De Dios said that there is an on going construction in C5, particularly in the U-Turn flyover near the intersection of Kalayaan and C5.

He explained that the loss of C5 as an alternate route added to the EDSA congestion.

A commuter said that from last week, travel time from Pasig using the C5 to Kalayaan averaged at three to four hours, from the usual one hour ride.

De Dios said that the platforms will be completed by June. Repair of the C5 bridge however, will take longer.

The Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers in the Philippines (FEJODAP) estimate that jeepney drivers stuck in two hours of traffic will lose four to five liters which will cost from P161 to P201 with diesel sold at P40.25 per liter.

Granting that drivers will lose that much, one million cars that pass EDSA daily losing a liter of gasoline with engines idling in traffic will mean P40 million loss minimum daily. Multiply that by 30 representing the month that commuters will have to bear the traffic will result in total losses of P1.2 billion.

The MMDA said that most used route in Manila is the Ortigas-Santolan road in which an average of 260,000 cars use daily. That is only a section of EDSA, not counting the intersections of Buendia, Ayala, Aurora, Quezon Ave, Shaw, Munoz where traffic are also heavy.

FEJODAP said that it will be very hard for people to conserve fuel with the EDSA type of traffic.

Turning on and off the car engine will only result in bigger gas consumption.

Car owners can save fuel by turning off airconditioning.

For jeepney drivers, FEJODAP said that during night traffic, they can turn off their headlights.

In the US, motorists are using a radical driving technique designed to eke out every last mile from a tank of fuel.

Known as ‘hypermiling,’ the methods can double gas mileage, even in gas-guzzling vehicles that would normally get less than 20 miles per gallon according to Reuters.

Promoted on a growing number of Web sites, hypermiling includes pumping up tires to the maximum rating on their sidewalls, which may be higher than levels recommended in car manuals; using engine oil of a low viscosity, and the controversial practice of drafting behind other vehicles on the highway to reduce aerodynamic drag — a practice begun a few years ago by truck drivers.

For Americans, gas prices are a "serious problem," ahead of jobs, and healthcare, according to a poll released on Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The "advanced" techniques of hypermiling are in addition to well-known approaches including keeping speed down, accelerating gently, avoiding excessive idling and removing cargo racks to also cut down on aerodynamic drag.

Is the MMDA's OBR being packaged as a BRT? Sort of a shortcut to having a real BRT. Baka naman ma-shortchange din tayo sa service nyan? I hope not.

some related fact:

nuvali will implement some kind of BRT system.

http://images.apreyes1realty.multiply.com/image/2/photos/10/500x500/42/Slide11.JPG?et=svD1y8zQNpeqkhq7%2COcDMA&nmid=67724131

would this be first in the country?

Hi, where is this located?

^^Nuvali is an ayala development in sta rosa


Is the MMDA's OBR being packaged as a BRT? Sort of a shortcut to having a real BRT. Baka naman ma-shortchange din tayo sa service nyan? I hope not.

Let's wait and see not so easy with so many stakeholders to get a full system. If all they do is repackage the OBR and it's not a fully system then too bad, hopefully it will not fail to get the full results. It seems that MMDA and DOTC are very much aware though of the factors that affect failure of BRT's elsewhere.

Nuvali was designed to have a North-South main arterial that approximates the length of EDSA. It's streets are designed to accommodate either a light rail system or a BRT. The provision of a BRT system there will be very dependent on the rate of land development and the locators. Some of the big schools are supposed to establish campuses in the area and I hear they're also planning to have facilities for the BPO's. That will surely kick up the demand for a BRT in the area.

The MMDA requested for companies to submit Expressions of Intent (EOI) for a possible BRT project to be funded by the WB. It looks like the dream is becoming a reality for MM?

^^Let's hope & pray.That's good news indeed.

I sure hope so. Maybe the MMDA people saw how effective the BRT was in their recent trip to South America including stops in Curitiba and Bogota - showcases for the transit system. Maybe they also got to talk with the politicians there who have been very instrumental in the success of the BRT in South American cities.

I heard it's both.
Would you have a copy or referrence for the Request for Proposals or Intent?

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/2319/brtoregonrpricewv2.jpghttp://

If I were GMA's adviser,I'll suggest to her the quick implementation of BRT in MM,this is good for her image.An excellent way to go out in a high.An excellent way to forget Ben's Boorjer fiasco.:lol:
Thanks R.Price for the pic

I don't have a copy of the request. I got this info from a friend working for a consulting firm. I also learned the deadline was a month ago and there's no word from MMDA if they've arrived at a shortlist or if they're pushing through with the project. Apparently, the project's being handled by the Office of the AGM for Planning.

i have noticed that these new buses are like upgraded jeepneys,seeing that seats are now face to face but with more leg room... like the mbenz fort buses..

Ah thank you. Well hopefully this project will push through. Am very interested in monitoring it for the betterment of our fair metropolis. ty.

Buses to run on LPG soon
By Katherine Adraneda
Saturday, May 10, 2008
http://philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20080509111

After stoves and taxicabs, buses in Metro Manila will soon be fueled with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced yesterday that LPG-fueled passenger buses would soon ply major routes in the nation’s premier region as part of the government’s campaign against air pollution.

A prototype of the initial four units of the buses was brought to the main office of the agency in Diliman, Quezon City yesterday and shown to Environment Secretary Lito Atienza.

Atienza lauded the proponents of the project, and said, “The use of LPG in motorized vehicles will improve the quality of air in Metro Manila, whose dramatic improvement we expect to see in the next two years.”

Philippine LPG Bus and Taxi Co. Inc. chairman Alexis Cowel said four units of LPG buses, which they have initially purchased from King Long Philippine Int’l. Bus Inc., the LPG bus distributor, will be test run plying the route Fairview-C5.

However, the exact date for the test run of the LPG-fueled buses, which were assembled in Xiamen, China, is yet to be announced.

“The buses are city bus type model having Yu Chai engine and equipped with 240-liter LPG,” Cowel said.

According to Cowel, if the LPG-fueled buses are proven effective, a total of 200 units will be fielded in Metro Manila, San Pedro, Biñan and Sta. Rosa, all in Laguna.

Atienza said all local government units (LGUs) should help the DENR enforce anti-pollution and other environmental laws to be able to effectively and significantly address the problem on air quality.

He said air pollution in Metro Manila can be reduced by 40-50 percent if public transport vehicles would shift from the use of diesel and gasoline to LPG.

“If we don’t improve the quality of air, respiratory diseases and global warming will come about. That’s why the DENR is not only implementing reforestation projects but also programs to clean our lakes, bays and other bodies of water in order to improve the quality of air and prevent global warming,” Atienza said.

In August last year, the Philippine LPG Bus and Taxi Co., Inc. announced their plan to import LPG-fueled buses from China.

The project, estimated to cost about P500 million, which the company has secured through bank loans, is said to be “in support of the government’s initiative to improve living conditions by reducing pollution.”

The project is being undertaken jointly by the Office of the President (OP), DENR, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Department of Energy (DOE), Board of Investment (BOI), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Whatever happened to the CNG buses? LPG buses have been in service in other countries and many BRT's use CNG. Alternative fuels seem to be the hope for buses.

Whatever happened to the CNG buses? LPG buses have been in service in other countries and many BRT's use CNG. Alternative fuels seem to be the hope for buses.

The problem with CNG buses is that there is only a few refueling station.



_________________________________
IF YOU BUILT IT, THEY WILL COME

meh nabyahe na CNG buses, papuntang batangas, medyo hindi ko matandaan operator kung batangas starexpress ba. HM transport meron din ata. yun nga, iisa lang CNG station, Shell Slex.

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/5363/oregonbrtrickpriceln6.jpghttp://

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/4944/brtoregonrickpricenb3.jpghttp://
There was a group a few weeks back,who went to these Latin Countries that operate BRT in their cities.Herbert Bautista together w/ other MMDA officials were part of that party to see for themselves how the BRT is implemented.Unfortunately,there was no media coverage on it,worse,the media instigated that the group went there to pamper themselves.:ohno:
I hope,that once BRT is off & running,they should ban these media men in riding the BRT.:lol:

yun nga ang sabi nag junket lang daw.

Junket or exposure trip...whatever you want to call it...the point is the trip was really a PR job for the WB. Given the cost of a BRT (against rail), kaya na ng government mag-develop ng linya. QC nga has enough funds for a BRT. Nanliligaw na naman yata ang WB para umutang tayo, hehe. So why would the media need to cover such when they were not informed about it in the first place (maybe more like they were kept in the dark about it).

^^I don't think they were kept in the dark.They are not interested in this kind of stuff.If it was bad news,I'm sure it's headline.:ohno:

Bf mentioned plans for a BRT system in MM in an interview with jiggy manicad in his documentary sa reporter's notebook. but it was vry brief, hindi na na emphasize.

^^when was this? EDSA may make sense but not the easiest place to do it, maybe c5 or Commonwealth.

Bf mentioned plans for a BRT system in MM in an interview with jiggy manicad in his documentary sa reporter's notebook. but it was vry brief, hindi na na emphasize.

His idea of BRT is the OBR scheme he wants to implement along EDSA. These utilize the RFID's installed on the legit buses. Also, the loading/unloading bays constructed along EDSA will define the designated stops along the route.

^^Isn't there an article here saying he was thinking of using the OBR as a stepping stone to BRT? As far as I know the OBR is primarily a means to weed out colorum buses.

^^Isn't there an article here saying he was thinking of using the OBR as a stepping stone to BRT? As far as I know the OBR is primarily a means to weed out colorum buses.

What is OBR anyway?

OBR = Organized Bus Route?
yun na ba yung plano, akala ko yung mga rfid chips ekek eh para maalis yung mga colorum...kaya hindi din mawala wala yang mga colorum pano mga "mainpluwensya" tao mga yan.

hhttp://img178.imageshack.us/img178/9963/brtstationmejfw5.jpgttp://

Human rights violation was their lame excuse.What about the thousands of pesos that the economy lost because of the traffic in EDSA which they have made worse:ohno:.Padrino system-that is the curse of of our society.:ohno:

OBR it is for July pero high tech na unlike their sticker or card system that obviously fell apart (another case of ningas cogon?). The reason they installed the RFID's are not really to weed out the colorums. I think that's secondary na lang - nadamay though not part of the intent for the RFID's. The RFID's will be used to monitor the progression of buses along EDSA. The MMDA will be (if not yet) installing overhead sensors along EDSA to detect buses with RFID's in an attempt to put order in their dispatching. In a sense, the deployment and flow of buses will be regulated. It's kinda crude but given the chance it might just approximate BRT services.

As for the colorums, MMDA should closely coordinate with LTFRB and LTO on this. Meanwhile, the two DOTC-attached agencies should go the extra mile in ensuring that colorum buses are kept off the roads. The previous posts are correct in pointing out that the bottomline with the irresponsibility and non-responsiveness of LTO and LTFRB here is that we incur economic (even envi) losses.

Actually the basic way (as relayed to me by a bus manufacturer and operator) colorum buses operate (without franchises) ais with the operator getting one franchise for one bus then reproducing the license up to 4 times. Without any IT device apparently the MMDA had a hard time distinguishing who had actual live licenses.

Anyway if this is their idea of BRT then good luck I'm not sure it will work as a BRT, hopefully it will work at all. Anyway if not EDSA then other places it can still be done!

I just want to share this opinion piece from The Hindu about their experimental BRT. I'm sure that same arguments in Delhi can also be applied in Manila: http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/06/stories/2008050654720800.htm

Cars occupy 75 per cent of road space but are used by less than 15 per cent of the populace even in the most affluent Indian cities. In contrast, buses occupy a mere 8 per cent of the road area but are used by almost 20 to 60 per cent of the people. Pedestrians and cyclists constitute an overwhelming 40 to 75 per cent of commuters but are completely marginalised in our planning system as a major part of budget allocations is consumed for road widening or flyover building, which primarily benefit cars and two wheelers.

Pedestrians,who should normally have first claim on the road in any mature city, have become the missing dimension in our transportation policy. Be it the BRT or any of the newly opened flyovers which criss-cross our cities today, the case is the same: Desperate women trying to jump over the medians or old men running through the maze of traffic to cross the road are sights common enough in India.

To become successful, the BRT or any other transit system needs to grow beyond mere traffic engineering. Socio-cultural parameters need to be built in, right from the conceptualisation stage. The issues of equity and social justice in the urban physical realm are seldom explored. We need to make our urban transportation policies more inclusive, equitable and sustainable. But the crux of the challenge lies in co-ordinated policy implementation. Failing this, the future of mobility in urban India will forever remain stuck in a jam.

Amen, it's this kind of thinking that should be spread throughout the Philippines. Most planning departments of LGU's are still using old models that are based on american cities like LA which is wastefull , anachronistic and ultimately inappropriate. Time they get informed and modernized.

There's this concept of sustainable mobility that should be consistent with Environmental Sustainability. Planning for transport systems must now put a premium on such and LGU's need to deliberate on the appropriate system for their situations. Sometimes, we can get too engrossed with rail or other expensive systems when effectiveness doesn't necessarily equate to this. The BRT would always be a worthwhile venture for many Philippine cities that want to consider graduating from tricycles and jeepneys.

^^Totally agree,kabayan.But our leaders again fails to see this clear option.A good transport system will definitely be a boost to our sputtering economy.We need good leaders! We can't seem to find them anymore.Where are the Villegas's,Magsaysay's,Ninoy's.So simple a problem but we can't seem to find a clear solution
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/6995/curritibabrtmejbp9.jpghttp://

^^Our leaders are afraid of the millions of drivers that will be affected.
see related story below:


Drivers oppose BRT system for Banilad
The Freeman
Sunday, May 11, 2008

Different transport groups in Cebu expressed concern on the city government’s plan to implement a Bus Rapid Transit system in the city and the proposal to have a light rail transit in Metro Cebu.

They said that while this kind of transport system is beneficial to the commuters, since this means speed and convenience, the drivers and operators of public utility vehicles especially jeepneys and tricycles are also in danger of being dislocated.

Alex Bordadora, chairman of the Visayas United Drivers Transport Cooperative, said they have nothing against the mass transport system because it is part of progress but said the government should also look at the welfare of the rest of the transport sector.

“Sa paglambo sa transport system dili unta mawani ang ubang tawo nga naay kalabotan sa transport. If ma-dislocate unya ang mga drivers, asa man ibutang sa gobyerno kining mga tawhana?” he asked.

Bordadora said he is concerned because most of the investors that fund the mass transport systems are only after profit and do not look at the interest of the sectors affected.

Ryan Yu, managing director of the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative, agreed with Bordadora saying that during the implementing stage of the mass transport system the government should have a program for the affected drivers.

He doubts that the city is ready for the implementation of the BRT because the roads in the city are narrow and not designed for the implementation of the mass transport system.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants to pilot the implementation of a BRT system in the Banilad area to decongest traffic.

The mayor earlier said that in a BRT system, buses are stairless and that passengers will only ride in designated terminals. Buses of this kind are not allowed to pick up or unload passengers in non-designated areas, thereby lessening the traffic. This kind of transport system is patterned after the BRT system of Curitiba, Brazil.

Osmeña said that once the system is fully implemented, no more PUJs - and even private vehicles - would be allowed to pass by the area.

But Rex Tidalgo, provincial coordinator of the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo, said that they suspect the officials in Cebu are now starting to implement the mass transit system in Cebu.

He said that in fact, the many drivers are now suffering because of the KMK buses that ply the routes of Minglanilla to SM and vice-versa.

“Ila nang gihinay-hinay’g implementar na karon ang mass transport kay gusto nila natural ang paghunong sa mga operators, nga sila (operators) na mismo mo-quit kay apektado sila sa mga buses,” Tidalgo said.

Likewise, he said that House Bill 0214 was filed in 2004 seeking to create the Metro Cebu Traffic Authority, which will function like the Metro Manila Development Authority.

Different transport groups yesterday attended a forum-discussion on the proposed mass transport system in Cebu held at CENDET.

City Planning and Development coordinator Nigel Paul Villarete was one of the invited speakers but he was not able to come because he fell ill.

In a telephone interview, Villarete said that the proposed BRT system in Banilad cannot be implemented soon because the city has just submitted its formal request to the World Bank to study the proposal.

“The displacement of drivers and things like that are also to be addressed. But it does not mean that if they will be displaced, di na lang ta mag-implement. As we progress, there are also changes in the mode of transportation,” he said.

Villarete also said that he understands the concern of the drivers and operators but “by simply objecting to it will only compound the problem.”

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Police Office will be fielding policemen on the streets tomorrow for the rumored transport strike.

Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador told reporters that he already instructed the Traffic Group to identify possible chokepoints where members of the hardliner transport groups may post themselves to convince other drivers to join them.

Piston, a transport group in Manila, has announced that they will be staging a nationwide strike among its sub-group members in protest of the continued rise in oil prices in the world market calling the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law.

But the Piston sub-group in Cebu, the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbu, has yet to meet with its chapter leaders to discuss what sort of protest they will staging tomorrow, if any.

Nadsu Secretary General Ruben Rama in a telephone interview told The FREEMAN that their group has not yet finalized their plans for tomorrow’s transport strike but said they would surely have one to support the calls of various groups in the country against the rising cost of fuel.

Rama said they will demand for the implementation of the P7.50 minimum fare for the first four kilometers and one peso for every succeeding kilometer as agreed in 2004 by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7. — Wenna A. Berondo and Edwin Ian Melecio/MEEV

tanong lang ano mga brad, anong bus liner nga pala yung may mga kama at cr sa loob? na-feature ito dati sa rated k at may biyaheng tuguegarao city ito.

tanong lang ano mga brad, anong bus liner nga pala yung may mga kama at cr sa loob? na-feature ito dati sa rated k at may biyaheng tuguegarao city ito.

originally posted by pi_malejana
sleeper bus ng gv florida byaheng sampaloc-cagayan.. v.v.
photos by gv florida of flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2148/2501327106_3eafb41618.jpg?v=0 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2255/2501327564_fc0c7327ca.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2334/2501327716_1c5b90db22.jpg?v=0 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2397/2501326842_3b9a7bfa95.jpg?v=0

originally posted by pi_malejana
sleeper bus ng gv florida byaheng sampaloc-cagayan.. v.v.
photos by gv florida of flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2148/2501327106_3eafb41618.jpg?v=0 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2255/2501327564_fc0c7327ca.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2334/2501327716_1c5b90db22.jpg?v=0 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2397/2501326842_3b9a7bfa95.jpg?v=0

Magkano kaya pamasahe diyan mula Manila-Cabanatuan City? Anyway, thanks for the quick answer.

It's sad that we can't have efficient transport systems because our government worries to much about these drivers and we have allowed the same to have so much influence on decision-making. It shows that the weakness (lack of will) and indecisiveness is stronger than ever in as far as public transport is concerned. Note that these same drivers entered the transport industry not knowing the costs of operating and maintaining at an acceptable level/quality of service. In business or economics, they shouldn't be there in the first place if they can't provide quality transport service.

Unfortunately strong gov't is not a strong suit of our republic you can see this type of issues in many industries where the interests of the majority take a back step to private interests.

Well hopefully Cebu will not take their concerns too seriously and look out for the general public first!

Mayor Tom Osmena has a vision,I know this project will push thru.I'm sure he can find a way to help the displaced jeepney/tricycle drivers.:)

^^ how bout hiring them to work for the BRT company...

Magkano kaya pamasahe diyan mula Manila-Cabanatuan City? Anyway, thanks for the quick answer.

Hindi sila nagsasakay ng ganyang short distance lang. Yung Sampaloc-Tuguegarao P1000.00 yata pero mabilis ma-full at by reservation lang. Two units pa lang yan at salubong ang biyahe. Pero magdadagdag pa yata sila kasi may demand at maraming may gusto na rin ng ganitong service sa Laoag-Cagayan line nila.Puro mayayaman yata ang sumasakay diyan.

Hindi sila nagsasakay ng ganyang short distance lang. Yung Sampaloc-Tuguegarao P1000.00 yata pero mabilis ma-full at by reservation lang. Two units pa lang yan at salubong ang biyahe. Pero magdadagdag pa yata sila kasi may demand at maraming may gusto na rin ng ganitong service sa Laoag-Cagayan line nila.Puro mayayaman yata ang sumasakay diyan.

Short distance lang ba yung 3 hours?

Short distance lang ba yung 3 hours?
Kunsabagay may point ka jan hehe. Next year lang siguro e baka 5 hrs na ang Manila-Cabanatuan kaya masarap na ring matulog lalo na kung sleeper class ang bus.:lol:

^^ how bout hiring them to work for the BRT company...

Hope so,if this happens then it is a positive mark on BRT.Manila transport groups might be more receptive:)Have you seen the Piston president,is he related to Mayor Antonio Sanchez of Muntinlupa Jail.:)

Matagal na rin yang discussions on providing displaced drivers jobs. There were arguments for and against that for jeepney drivers plying routes under LRT 1, bus drivers under MRT 3, and again, jeepney drivers under LRT 2. What's lacking is a genuine and aggressive effort towards realizing such. After all, you don't really need a college degree for a lot of jobs in these railways.

Even if the government can provide alternative means of livelihood for the drivers and operators who will be displaced by whatever mode of mass transit system that will be in place, I still doubt if they would be willing to change jobs just like that. The LTFRB should just stop granting jeepney and tricycle franchises and should start revoking those of whose units fail to comply with emission and safety standards. Anybody who would be affected by the transport modernization program should be the first to considered during hiring and there should be no politics or favoritism involved or our cities will never truly become competitive vis-a-vis the rest of the world.

From the Metro Guapo post courtesy of Conangi


Hi guys! I'm new to this whole forum thing, although I've been reading posts on transport and infrastructure here (especially this thread) since the start of the year. Just wanna join in lang kung ok lang po sa inyo.


Edsa now off limits to buses without microchip IDs
source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view/20080520-137776/Edsa-now-off-limits-to-buses-without-microchip-IDs

By Angela Casauay
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:14:00 05/20/2008


MANILA, Philippines -- Public buses without microchip identification tags are no longer allowed on Edsa as part of the Metro Manila Development Authority's Organized Bus Route (OBR) system.

Implementation of the "No Chips, No Trip" policy began on Tuesday, with at least 19 buses apprehended by noon. Under the new rule, all bus operators should equip their vehicles with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to distinguish legitimate from "colorum" buses -- those without proper franchises -- and to keep track of the vehicles’ movements.

A bus caught without the microchip has to return the fares to passengers. Traffic enforcers would then bring the bus to the MMDA impounding yard, officials said.

Angelito Vergel de Dios, executive director of the MMDA’s Traffic Operations center, could not say how many more buses were apprehended later Tuesday. Most of the 19 buses apprehended during the morning did not have the required microchips while the few others were flagged down for other offenses.

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said the agency had notified operators months ago to have their units tagged at OBR terminals.

But MMDA data showed only 2,500 out of 3,500 buses plying EDSA have had microchips installed. The rest are presumed to be colorum or without franchises.

"It's high time to throw the book at those who continue to defy the law. (Otherwise) our well-meaning efforts to ease traffic and restore order and discipline on the streets will go down the drain," Fernando said in a statement.

Through the OBR, MMDA officials hope to install an efficient system for dispatching buses by designating loading stations. Surveillance cameras and microchips will allow authorities to keep track of vehicles.

Buses will be dispatched from MMDA-established terminals on a "first on, first off" basis.

Aside from minimizing illegal transport operations, the OBR system also aims to increase fuel cost savings for bus operators as buses will have to make fewer trips but will be carrying higher passenger loads.

Any developments regarding the proposed BRT system?

not lately, actual facts are few and far between! I'm curious as to how the EDSA thing will work out.

I'm also curious how far cebu will want to take their idea for a brt.

drivers losing their livelihood? well, progress doesnt come for free...besides, they've had their time...they are about to become obsolete...if they only had been less stupid and had their eyes set into the future, they should have come up with contingency plans etc...true,true, an ordinary driver only makes enough to sustain his family...BUT if only most of them have been not stupid enough to make the mistake of making too many babies, then that wouldnt be much of a problem...but then again, im sure they'd still have some spare money, even a few pesos....BUT some them are even more stupid to spend it on nonsense stuff like mobile phones etc...IF they only knew how to spend money relative to their state of life, A SINGLE PESO GOES A LONG WAY...

and they wont have to worry about losing their livelihood as jeepney drivers, since they've prepared for the storm beforehand...

* * *

on a side-note, not everyone would end up jobless, since many of them (but not most and definitely not all) would end up working for the BRT

* * *

people are sick...they expect everything to be served to them on a silver platter...come on people, learn to help yourselves!

We need a new generation of drivers. If the BRT system pushes through, they have to make sure that drivers are well-trained. Most bus drivers today do not think about the safety of passengers. Some of them do not care if you're already late for work or appointment. Some are even rude--no courtesy at all. Most importantly, they have to know the traffic rules.

Commuting in MM even for a short distance is stressful. That's why it's about time for bus companies to focus not only on profitability but also on providing good service to commuters. We need a public transport system that makes sure passengers travel comfortably and safely.

Driver training is one thing but the route structure has to be overhauled as well. Lines have to be defined between the trunk and feeder and circulation lines. Then you can fit the various types of PUV's with their strengths and not mix them up so that they have to occupy the same space.

It's been the opinion of some people that the MMDA's latest foray in managing EDSA buses is going to do well. The supposed precursor to a BRT would have its acid test once schools open as the demand will surely increase and push up volume along all corridors in the Metro.

Wish we could get some numbers to monitor how well this is actually doing. Be great to have some comps for mmda feedback.

The RFID's installed in the buses and the monitoring system MMDA has been installing along EDSA should be able to do the trick. Those cards should be able to send back the ID's of buses including (sana) the time of observation at each station along EDSA. Theoretically, such data can be translated into travel time and travel speeds for the buses. Aggregated data throughout the day maybe able to provide the variation of travel speeds throughout the day for different days of the week. Let's just hope ganito ang naka-set-up sa mga buses and stations along EDSA. Madali nang ma-monitor ang conditions and such can be inputs to improving the system.

How well are they doing in thining out the colorum buses who don't want to follow the rules?

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW061408/content.php?id=077

A central transport terminal that will serve as Metro Manila’s gateway to Southern Luzon will soon be built along C-5 Road in Taguig City.

This was affirmed by the Taguig City government and the Department of National Defense (DND) during the recent signing of memorandum of agreement (MOA) to undertake a feasibility study for the construction of the Southern Regional Transport Terminal Complex (SRTTC).

In a press statement, Taguig Mayor Freddie R. Tiñga said the proposed public transport terminal will rise on a three-hectare land along C-5 Road near exit leading to the Southern Luzon Expressway (SLEX). The terminal, he said, will feature world-class amenities and facilities.

"The project will benefit us in many ways. Not only will it help ease up traffic in the metropolis, but will also provide many economic opportunities by way of government revenues and job opportunities for our people," Mr. Tiñga said.

For his part, DND Secretary Gilbert C. Teodoro, Jr., lauded the city government for its initiatives in continuously developing the city.

"I congratulate Mayor Tiñga. There’s no need of thinking twice in approving this kind of constructive views," Mr. Teodoro said.

He said the project will contribute to the realization of President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo’s aim to provide six million jobs in six year, which is on top on the list of Ms. Arroyo’s ten-point agenda for 2010.

Under the MOA, DND authorizes Taguig to use the three-hectare property, owned by DND, as site of the proposed SRTTC subject to applicable laws.

When constructed, the SRTTC will serve the provincial buses plying the southern regional and provincial routes.

"It will serve as the central link to various installations such as the international and domestic airports, the Metro Rail System and other key landmarks in the metropolis," Mr. Tiñga said.

The agreement provides that the city government may enter into a separate agreement for the conduct of the study to determine reasonable compensation for use of the property. However, it should bear no cost to the National Government, to DND and the local government of Taguig.

The local government of Taguig or its private sector partner shall be allowed to establish, develop, operate, manage and maintain the SRTTC, the Agreement provides.

Mr. Tiñga said the terminal shall impose strict regulations that will ensure free-flowing traffic in and outside the terminal.

"Traffic within the SRTTC will be uni-flow. Single entry system shall be enforced via SRTTC main vehicular gate. Bus drivers who are e-pass holders for example, shall be allowed to jointly use the priority lane," he explained.

Aside from unveiling the SRTTC, the city government also introduced its other proposed transportation projects during the MOA signing.

Already on the pipeline are the Taguig Express Transit System (TEXTS), a system linking key parts of the metropolis through transport lines; and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a rail-type transport, except that it employs buses on dedicated lanes, directly connecting C-5 Road in Taguig to Ayala Avenue in Makati .
The MOA signing was witnessed by DND Undersecretary for Civil, Veterans and Reserved Affairs Ernesto Carolina, Engr. Ernie Camarillo, Taguig City Administrator Wilfredo Villar, Taguig 2nd District Councilors Ricardo Jordan and Erwin Manalili, Chief Chaplain AFP B/Gen. Ephrodito C. Magno, and other AFP officials. — Elizabeth T. Marcelo


The BRT is alive!

yup this is the one being studied by ayala land.

so the southern terminal has been moved to c5, the original one had it on edsa/slex but binay blocked it. hopefully this will be as effective (though it's a bit off unless they find a way to connect to the main lines like edsa and the mrt).

yup this is the one being studied by ayala land.

so the southern terminal has been moved to c5, the original one had it on edsa/slex but binay blocked it. hopefully this will be as effective (though it's a bit off unless they find a way to connect to the main lines like edsa and the mrt).

Why did Binay block the supposedly south terminal?

Maybe Makati has other plans. The problem is they're not letting other people including the Ayalas in on the plan. Makati used to have plans of putting up a system that would be connecting the CBD to NAIA. It is also a bus system and maybe they're entertaining the possibility of this becoming a BRT.

Sa totoo lang pulitika ito. Matagal nang magkaaway iyang dalawa so anything Bayani wants Binay is sure to deny. Wait for the next administration for this to happen if it still makes sense. (which it should) It's still the main interesection for 2 of the largest roadways and 2 of the largest railways in the metropolis.

Yup. Politics always spoils whatever good things are supposed to come out of projects like this. The other threads are full of comments regarding other projects that are either idle or delayed due to political factors. Kaya tayo hindi umuunlad, hehe.