The availability of additional modern public utility vehicles (PUVs) to service Cagayan de Oro City’s 78 public routes will slowly reduce the riding public’s dependence on tri-cabs or bao-baos, the city’s traffic czar said.

 

‘One of the solutions that we saw in order to slowly reduce, if not eliminate the need for bao-baos is the full implementation of the LPTRP in which only the modern public utility vehicles (PUVs) are allowed to ply their routes. The bao-baos proliferated in the city because there are few PUVs traveling at night,’ said Roads and Traffic Administration chief Engr. Nonito Oclarit.

 

Oclarit responded to a proposal by Councilor James Judith II to amend the city’s Traffic Code in order to allow the bao-baos to pass through the national highways provided these vehicles are used in a private capacity and not as a passenger vehicle.

 

The proposal was referred anew to the City Council’s public utilities committee for review.

Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy told local media in a press briefing that he will defer the issue to the 20th City Council for assessment and resolution.

Mayor Klarex said the complaints by PUV and taxi operators concerning the continued operation of bao-baos cannot be ignored.

 

Oclarit said the PUVs including passenger jeepneys refused to operate late at night for this reason. ‘They (modern PUVs, jeepney and taxi operators) told us during consultations that they refuse to ply the routes late at night because the bao-baos corner most of the passengers. And the bao-bao operators (including those from other towns) are only too willing to fetch these passengers),’ Oclarit said in Visayan.

 

Oclarit also said the memorandum circular issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is very clear in prohibiting bao-baos or any three-wheeled vehicle from the national highways whether they be used in a private or commercial capacity.

 

‘They can pass through local roads but not national roads,’ he said in Visayan. While unable to provide data on the number of bao-baos operating in the city, Oclarit said these vehicles usually pass through Barangays Bugo, Tablon and Cugman.

 

He said the fleet management system to be operated by the city’s accredited transport cooperatives under the LPTRP, modern PUVs will be available 24/7 to service routes covered under the route plan.

The city’s LPTRP was approved by the City Council early this year. ‘Right now (we have 55 out of the 78 identified routes serviced by PUVs) and we are optimistic that slowly as more operators come in, we will be able to fully service the 78 routes (and eliminate the need) for bao-baos),’ Oclarit said in Visayan. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)