BACOLOD City – The five-day dry run for the green route with four minibuses plying the Barangay Vista Alegre route will continue until Sunday, May 19.
This comes after a successful dialogue between Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and the officers of the Arao-Vista Alegre Tricycle Drivers and Operators Association (Arvistoda) on Wednesday, May 15.
The city government and the affected tricycles association have agreed to change the time of the operation of minibuses to 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Vista Alegre dry run, which serves as a free ride (libre sakay) for passengers, was earlier scheduled from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. from the relocation site to Burgos Public Market and vice versa.
City Administrator Lucille Gelvolea, who was also present during the dialogue, said the tension that transpired on the first day of the dry run was considered part of the simulation in order to know the problem and how to address it.
On Wednesday, officers and members of Arvistoda staged a protest. They said they fear of losing income once the minibuses started plying their barangay.
On May 13, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board(LTFRB) Region 6 issued a special permit in favor of the city government to operate eight units of minibuses for a dry run for the two green routes, being considered for inclusion in the amended Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) of this city.
The experimental shall be done exclusively on for two routes: Barangay Cabug (Deca Homes) to Libertad Loop; and Abada Escay and Arao, Barangay Vista Alegre to Burgos (point-to-point) and Vista Alegre barangay hall to Libertad Loop, based on the permit.
But, only the Abada Escay and Arao, Barangay Vista Alegre to Burgos (point-to-point) had launched the test run on Wednesday.
The dry run for Barangay Cabug has yet to be scheduled./PN
