ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Alliance of Operators and Drivers Transport Cooperative (ICAODTC) is unveiling today 12 modern jeepneys.
The cooperative targets to operate a total of 110 modern jeepneys before this year is over, according to ICAODTC board secretary Rizalito Alido.
A unit cost P2,040,000.
The launching of the modern jeepneys will be at the cooperative’s office and garage on Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue.
Each unit has a capacity of 25 passengers and an air-conditioning system, said Alido.
The modern jeepneys will start plying the city’s streets next week. Their four routes approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) are the following:
* from the Iloilo Terminal and General Services Inc. (ITGSI) in Barangay Ungka, Jaro district to the City Proper via Jaro CPU and vice versa
* the Jaro CPU Derecho route (from Barangay Sambag, Jaro to the City Proper and vice versa)
* from the ITGSI terminal in Barangay Ungka, Jaro to the City Proper via Diversion Road and vice versa
* from Arevalo district to the City Proper and vice versa
LTFRB also set the fare range – from P10.50 to P12.
The government’s move to modernize Philippine public transport aims to minimize air pollution and improve public transport safety. Most jeepneys are not compliant with smoke emission standards, according to the LTFRB.
The modernization program would be fully implemented by 2020. All passenger jeepneys 15 years old and older will be phased out.
In August last year, LTFRB launched modern jeepneys of Metro Express Connect, Inc. in Iloilo City albeit on three limited routes only. These were:
1) Ceres bus terminal – via C1 road – to Oton, Iloilo at Vista Mall as end point
2) Pavia transport terminal – via Gorriceta Avenue – to Oton, Iloilo at Vista Mall as end point
3) Mohon Terminal – via C1 road – to Oton, Iloilo at Vista Mall as end point.
ICAODTC is the first Iloilo City transport cooperative registered with the Cooperative Development Authority and approved by the Office of Transportation Cooperatives under the Department of Transportation on August 2018 after complying with requirements which included at least P300,000 paid up capital, an office and a garage.
ICAODTC envisions a modern way of fare payment, too, (cashless, via swipe cards) but this would come much later, said Alido.
Because ICAODTC is a cooperative, a new compensation scheme would be observed for its modern jeepney drivers and dispatchers. They would be paid monthly salaries in keeping with the wage standards set by the Department of Labor and Employment.
The drivers and dispatchers would also be covered by government-mandated social benefits such those from the Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Home Development Mutual Fund.
They will also observe regular working hours (eight hours daily) and with overtime pay if necessary./PN
