Public utility jeepneys in Baguio City are temporarily exempted from the number coding scheme effective Jan. 11
In an advisory, the Traffic Management Group under the City Mayor’s Office stated the exemption of PUJs from the number coding scheme intends to provide commuters enough units to address the long queues of passengers at terminals, especially during rush hours.
The exemption was issued in lieu of the escalation of Baguio’s alert level 3 and will stand until further notice.
The move is also aimed at giving officials of the drivers and operator’s groups an opportunity to come up with a system of deploying their units to commensurate the passenger demand.
The advisory added: “All Baguio PUJ units can operate except for Trancoville and Aurora Hill routes, which are only allowed at a maximum of 100 units each to ply within the city.”
The PUJ operation time is allowed starting at 4 a.m. Monday to Sunday.
PUJ units are allowed to load only up to 70 percent of their seating capacity.
The transport sector was also reminded to ensure their passengers wear medical grade masks.
“Per agreement with transport sector leaders, all passengers including drivers, are urged to use surgical masks instead of cloth masks. Cloth masks may still be used on top of surgical masks as added protection,” the advisory added.
Plastic barriers inside the PUJs may be removed except at the driver’s side. Instead of the plastic barriers, the uniform format of markings for seating areas should be implemented to ensure that the allowed seating capacity is followed.
All Baguio and PUJ units plying La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay are still subject to the special permit issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Aside from PUJs, also exempt from the number coding scheme are vehicles of health workers and members of the Baguio City contact tracing team; uniformed personnel, service providers in emergency and disaster management; utility services for water, electricity, telecommunications, and waste management; and individuals authorized by the Covid-19 Inter-Agency Task Force.
Meanwhile, taxi units are only allowed to load a maximum of four passengers including the driver.
The use of passenger logbook for contact tracing, in addition to provisions provided in LTFRB MC 2020-018, and other health and safety measures prescribed by the LTFRB and the city government also stand.
The advisory added the permitted taxi units should follow the temporary number coding scheme stated on the transportation advisory for taxi units plying the city issued on Dec. 16, 2021.
Special taxis may be contacted through online digital platform or taxi hailing applications. – Jane B. Cadalig
April 30, 2024
