More private cars in Angeles, but jeepneys are traffic culprits

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    ANGELES CITY- A total of 67,027 private vehicles, mostly cars, ply the routes of this city, as against only 11,241 public utility vehicles, mostly jeepneys, but the latter have been identified as the culprit in traffic problems here.

    In his presentation at the Angeles Traffic Summit 2016 here Wednesday, city government transport and regulatory office chief Reny Mariano backed up his claim with photos of jeepneys parked, boarding or alighting passengers in crucial roads in various parts of Angeles.

    “Tricycles from other towns also enter the city during daytime, so the 7,384 registered tricycles in the city actually double,” he noted.

    Mariano said that unlike private cars which are parked most of the day when their drivers reach offices, homes or definite destinations, jeepneys and other PUV’s repeatedly ply city roads in search of passengers.

    He cited observations that jeepney drivers usually ignore traffic signs and symbols, at times “intentionally.” He also noted that because most of the jeepneys are dilapidated, those which frequently break down on their routes add to the traffic problem.

    Mariano cited plans of the city government for “route rationalization” for PUV’s, including the total banning of tricycles in major highways.

    “We will also have a modernization program promoting the retirement of old PUV’s in favor of electrically operated vehicles and a requirement for tricycle owners to upgrade their passenger carriers by ensuring the carrier is at least 40 inches high from floor to roof and from 29 to 30 inches wide for the convenience of passengers,” he said.

    He also noted that jeepneys will have to be rerouted, noting that “the routes are not evenly distributed, there are duplication of routes, while there are areas which are not served at all by PUVs.”

    Mariano also bared plans to ban road corners from being used as tricycle terminals. “They are there because past administrations allowed them to use corners as terminals, but this shouldn’t be,” he said.

    School buses and mini buses which are 15 years old or above would no longer be allowed to ply routes in the city, he added.

    Mariano also urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to coordinate with the city government in the granting of franchises to transport operators. “Local governments know better the situation in their jurisdiction,” he said.

    Mariano said the city government would no longer issue permits to violators of its plans as soon as these are enforced soon.

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