Home » Posts tagged 'buses'
Tag Archives: buses
Public transport in Iloilo
I took some snapshots of public transportation on my recent travel to Iloilo. These are typical PUVs you would find in most towns across the country. Iloilo’s have some distinct features that they also share with other towns in other provinces.
A typical tricycle along the Iloilo-Antique road seats 8 to 9 passengers. Sometimes passengers even sit on top of the sidecar. Sidecars here and other provinces often have roofs designed to carry heavy loads including agricultural products. Usual trike sidecar seating have passengers facing front. This one has them “talikuran” or “back to back” with some passengers facing back – not really a nice view when traveling along a highway and vehicles tailing or bearing down on the trike.
The typical jeepney in Iloilo is stretched whether it’s for inter-town or city operations. Instead of having the ‘face’ of the jeep (from which jeepneys evolved from), they use the front of the Toyota Fortuner or Mitsubishi Montero. These seat 20 to 24 passengers not counting those who are seated on the bench along the aisle. I wonder what engines they now use for these vehicles.
I took this fleeting photo of a bus. For me it wasn’t just a regular bus like the Ceres buses that now dominate the inter-provincial routes. This was a Calinog Bus Line (CBL) bus. We used to take their buses whenever we traveled from Cabatuan town proper to Tigbauan Road. One of my aunts also rode on these buses going to work as a teacher in another town along its route.
–
Traffic congestion along EDSA
I’ve taken some photos of EDSA traffic as well as the EDSA Carousel buses. Here are the more recent EDSA photos I took as I traveled from Makati to Quezon City after serving as a panelist in the Energy Transitions Dialogue last Wednesday.
I took this photo as we passed Guadalupe. I like this in the sense that it shows the clear ROW for the EDSA Carousel buses. One wonders why most of these motorists would prefer to drive their vehicles rather than take the bus or the MRT.
You can see in the photo that EDSA’s northbound side is clogged as far as the eye could see. If you check the image under the MRT bridge, it shows the southbound side was also congested. These photos were taken around 4 PM so this was still an hour before most people would be going home from work.
I mentioned in my comments at the panel that one consequence of giving number coding exemption to electric and hybrid vehicles is that this further diminishes the effectiveness (is it still effective?) of the MMDA’s number coding scheme. I don’t have the stats of how many EV’s and hybrids are registered and running in Metro Manila. Those numbers combined with actual counts will tell us how they are impacting traffic. That would be a nice topic for a paper. 🙂
The photos pretty much describe the transport situation in Metro Manila. Many of our major cities will be heading this way unless they improve their public transportation fast. If they do, then public transport mode share will be sustained if not increased. Metro Manila’s is already being eroded by inefficient public transport, motorcycles (including taxis) and perhaps unintentionally, electric and hybrid vehicles.
–
On posting the correct information on buses
I took this video on the way home via Ortigas Avenue Extension. The destination of the bus showed it is en route to the Guangzhuo Train Station. Apparently this not just for this bus but for others like it (same model).
While this is basically a minor or trivial thing, bus companies should still be providing the correct information on their buses. This is part of the service they provide to commuters.
–
Is there really a shortage of public transportation in Metro Manila? – Part 1 – Introduction
I will be doing a series of articles here on public transportation. More specifically, I will try to answer the question in the main title of the series – Is there really a shortage of public transportation in Metro Manila?
The quick answer probably is “yes” but we need to examine this concern from different perspectives and reasons so we can be objective about the “why” part of the shortage. Shortage may mean a real lack in terms of the number of public utility vehicles (PUVs) with approved franchises or perhaps the number actually operating on any given day. These two are actually different because it is possible to have fewer PUVs operating compared to the approved number or to have more PUVs operating than the approved number. The latter means there are “colorum” or illegal operations (i.e., vehicles providing public transport services without franchises).
Among the reasons why there is a perceived shortage of public transportation are as follows:
- Fewer than the number of franchises approved are operating.
- PUVs are not able to make a reasonable turnaround (e.g., due to traffic congestion).
- PUV drivers and operators refusing to operate their vehicles.
- Other factors.
- Any combination of the above including “all of the above.”
I hope I can write about these in a manner that can be easily understood – in layman’s terms.
–
Neutrality for public utility vehicles
I had written recently about how politicians are now using public utility vehicles for their premature campaigns. Promoting themselves illegally and ahead of the official campaign period. Today, I saw many modern jeepneys bearing posters of various politicians and party lists. Many of these PUVs are either private companies or cooperatives (i.e., in the case of modern jeepneys). I will not post their photos here as I don’t want to be inadvertently promoting these people and party lists. Instead here is an example of public transportation that does not promote any particular person or personality but instead speaks for a program that’s contributing to improve the commutes of people:
Quezon City’s buses don’t have any campaign materials posted on them.
Quezon City’s Bus Service Program is a good example of how a local government unit that has resources and the capability can help provide public transportation services to its constituents. It is a good example of what LGUs can do if they have the will, the capability, the capacity and the guidance for such initiatives. Of course, they should have good leaders who will support these endeavors and who do not have to put their faces and names on these programs.
–
Campaign garbage
Politicians have used various media to further their personal interests and aspirations. Foremost perhaps of these interests and aspirations is getting elected. More effort it seems goes to promoting themselves however they can. While its months away from the campaign period, there are already a lot of campaigning going on with what I perceive as hard sells already having a head start when they shouldn’t be doing so at this time. You see the likes of Abalos, Marcoleta and Lee whose faces are scattered among buses, bills, billboards and tarps. And then there are the familiar names including re-electionists and relatives of incumbent or outgoing officials also ‘reminding’ people of their candidacies as if we owe them our votes.
Here is the case of this former mayor of Metro Manila City who is also a former cabinet secretary who is aspiring to become a senator. His campaign materials are on buses, billboards and posters around the country. Samahan daw nation sa Senado. Why? If he’s already doing something blatantly anomalous at this stage, I would not expect anything except more anomalies from him.
It is very frustrating that the Comelec is not doing anything vs. these premature campaigning, even stating that these are not illegal. Well, these definitely cost a lot of money. And how do you think these politicians will recover their ‘investments’?
I will post about these garbage in future posts. I just need to compile more examples to share here.
–
‘Modern’ jeepneys in Cebu
The jeepney is actually a jitney, a paratransit mode with a capacity between the bus and the mini-bus. Jitneys are quite popular in developing countries like those in Southeast Asia and Africa. In the Philippines, the jeepney evolved from the American Jeeps left by US Forces after World War 2 that were customized in the style of the auto calesas that developed before the war.
With the government’s public transport modernization program, there are now many so-called ‘modern’ jeepney models operating around the country. The following are photos I took while doing fieldwork in Mandaue City.
Many modern jeepneys are actually mini or micro buses like the one in the photo. They did not retain or adopt the look of the conventional jeepneys. This one is a model by Japanese automaker Hino. The one behind is another jitney form – a multi cab.
Another modern jeepney / mini bus model manufactured by another company. I have to check which company given the emblem in front of the vehicle.
Another Hino vehicle but by a different operator as evident in the livery.
Another mini bus model
A low floor bus operated by Ceres, a major bus company in the country that also operates RORO buses.
Another modern jeepney model operated by another coop in Mandaue.
Star 8 jeepneys are also operating in Mandaue City. I first saw these in Tacloban City many years ago. They were supposed to be able to recharge via solar panels installed on the roof the vehicle. That should allow them to replenish power while running. These days, we do have a lot of sun so the only question is whether the solar power feature is functional.
–
Quezon City’s bus services
One of the projects of the Quezon City (QC) government during the pandemic and which they continued to the present was transport-related. QC deployed buses to provide free transport for its residents.
Here are the routes (source: QC FB page):
Route 1 – Quezon City Hall to Cubao (and vice versa)
Route 2 – Litex / IBP Road to Quezon City Hall (and vice versa)
Route 3 – Welcome Rotonda to Aurora Blvd. / Katipunan Avenue (and vice versa)
Route 4 – General Luis to Quezon City Hall (and vice versa)
Route 5 – Mindanao Ave. cor. Quirino Highway to Quezon City Hall (and vice versa)
Route 6 – Quezon City Hall to Robinsons Magnolia (and vice versa)
Route 7 – Quezon City Hall to Ortigas Avenue Extension (and vice versa)
Route 8 РQuezon City Hall to Mu̱oz (and vice versa)
See their UPDATED Bus Route & Schedule:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=273192358328744&id=100069139452704
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=273192031662110&set=pcb.273192358328744
Here are some photos of the buses along the Elliptical Road. These are air-conditioned and have WiFi for the comfort and benefit of the commuters.
With the fresh mandate (second term) of the QC Mayor Joy Belmonte, it is expected that they will continue with this public service. I am not sure if it should be strictly for QC residents. Perhaps those who work or study in QC should also benefit from the service. These people may show proof in the form of valid IDs like school or employee IDs.
–
Early morning commuting
Early morning commutes are not new to me as I’ve been doing this since I started to commute by myself decades ago. My usual trip between home and school consisted of two jeepney rides or one jeepney ride and a tricycle ride, depending on whether I carried a lot of items or if I didn’t feel like walking the so-called last mile between the jeepney stop and my home. While traffic wasn’t as bad in the 1980s and 1990s as it is today, it was still difficult to get a ride. Little has improved with public transport even though there are air-conditioned vans, P2P and additional railway option for me now along my usual routes to the office.
Back in the day, I liked to enlist in the 7:00 – 8:30 AM classes at UP Diliman as it was easy to get a ride at 6:00AM. That allowed for some time to spare before class and in the rare cases when UP-Katipunan jeepney drivers were on strike, you can walk the length of Katipunan and arrive in time for class. It was later when my classes were mostly in the afternoon that I had to delay my trips so I wouldn’t have to travel during the peak periods. It was difficult to get a ride and travel times were longer. When I was already working, I often traveled early if we had field work scheduled. That meant traveling before 6AM. There were fewer jeepneys but most were not full and it was easy to get a ride.
I took a couple of photos of a bus plying the Antipolo-Cubao route at around 5:30 AM one Friday morning. This was before the return to work order was issued to many workers so perhaps it does not show the current situation for the same time.
I now go to the office twice or thrice per week. On my way at 7:30 AM, I see many people lined along the streets at the typical loading/unloading areas along my routes. People would have to travel earlier if they want to easily get a ride and if their travel distances are relatively far (i.e., many people live outside of Metro Manila and have to travel 10+ kilometers one way).
–
On the BRT gaining popularity
Bus rapid transit or BRT has been around at least since the 1970s when the first ‘real’ BRT systems went into operation in Curitiba, Brazil. Here’s an article presenting the current state of deployment of these systems in the US:
Duncan, I. (July 23, 2021) “Cities are turning to supercharged bus routes to more quickly and cheaply expand transit services,” The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2021/07/23/bus-routes-public-transit-brt/
“There are indications that BRT lines can promote some of the density long associated with rail routes. A new analysis of job and residential growth by researchers at the University of Arizona examined areas around BRT stations in 11 cities between 2013 and 2019. In each case, they found areas close to the stations accounted for a significant share of regional growth.”
The Philippines should have had its first BRT line more than a decade ago if the government had been decisive about it. The first opportunity was under the administration of Macapagal-Arroyo when it was first conceptualized for Cebu City under a UNDP project and picked up by the WB for implementation.* The next opportunity came under the Aquino administration when the Cebu BRT could have been one of those low-hanging fruits for public mass transportation. Now, the same project is nowhere near completion as the Duterte administration has less than a year before it bows out. Meanwhile, there are proposed BRT’s in Metro Manila and Davao that have yet to see the proverbial light of day. The EDSA carousel is supposed to morph into a BRT but has not become so and requires more tweaking for it to be one.
*[Note: The BRT that was supposedly implemented by the MMDA under its then Chair Bayani Fernando was not a BRT or even a BRT light. It is not even at the scale of the current EDSA carousel.]
Caught (up) in traffic 