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Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

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#1 ·
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
 
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#176 ·
hybrid and brt buses are my favorite.
 
#178 ·
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.
 
#179 ·
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.
 
#180 ·
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.
 
#183 ·
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.
 
#184 ·
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.
 
#185 ·
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.
 
#186 ·
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.
 
#190 ·
^^Nuvali is an ayala development in sta rosa




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.
 
#188 ·
some related fact:

nuvali will implement some kind of BRT system.



would this be first in the country?
 
#191 ·
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.
 
#194 ·
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.
 
#196 ·
Inside a US BRT bus,You can go w/ your bikes as well.



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
 
#197 ·
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.
 
#198 ·
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..
 
#200 ·
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).
 
#204 ·
Oregon BRT(thanks R. Price for the pic)




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.:eek:hno:
I hope,that once BRT is off & running,they should ban these media men in riding the BRT.:lol:
 
#206 ·
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).
 
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