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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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#214 ·
Curritiba's BRT Stations-thanks MEJ Flickr for the pics



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:eek:hno:.Padrino system-that is the curse of of our society.:eek:hno:
 
#215 ·
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.
 
#216 ·
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!
 
#217 ·
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.
 
#218 ·
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.
 
#219 ·
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.
 
#220 ·
BRT-Curritiba,Brazil (Tnx MEJ for the pics)

^^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
 
#221 ·
^^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
 
#222 ·
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.
 
#225 ·
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.
 
#226 ·
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!
 
#233 ·
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.
 
#234 ·
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.
 
#235 ·
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/breaki...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.
 
#238 ·
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!
 
#239 ·
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.
 
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