BACOLOD City – The three-day simulation exercise (SIMEX) or pilot testing of the 24 approved routes here under the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) for the Public Utility Jeepney Modernization Program was a success, according to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the city government.
Held from June 25 to 27, the activity was participated in by more than 500 traditional jeepneys with provisional authority to operate and 1,099 modern jeepney units.
City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III said they were able to observe the viability, practicability and acceptability of the updated routes.
“The LFTRB and the Bacolod LGU (local government unit) declared it a successful activity. There were no major untoward incidents,” he said.
Representatives from the Department of Transportation and Land Transportation Office were also in the city, along with the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office, to supervise the study.
Other than the unfamiliarity with the updated routes, Maghari said the city had not received major complaints from the riding public.
“We are now waiting for the evaluation report on the sufficiency of the routes, which will be in a month or less,” Maghari added.
As the first-ever LPTRP SIMEX in the country, it aimed to determine if the current number of jeepneys per updated route is sufficient to accommodate the riding public, or if otherwise, how many more units or additional routes are needed.
Moreover, this will validate the exact loading and unloading locations, travel time, and terminal dwell time — accessible through the mobile application of the transportation platform, SafeTravelPH./PN
