The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday said that the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project, also known as the DavaoBus Project, is set to start its pilot operations in 2027.
“The President is really disappointed with the delays, that why he instructed us to fast track this project. We need to stop making excuses and start solving problems, because this project is a game changer and it will be a model system for the entire country,” Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said.
The pilot operations of the DavaoBus project will be in the route traversing Catalunan Pequeño-Ulas-Bangkal-Matina-Bankerohan-Quirino-Bajada-Lanang-Buhangin-Sasa.
As part of the preparations for the pilot operations, the 672-kilometer DavaoBus project will also include the DavaoBus Driving Academy, which aims to professionalize public transport driving, ensuring safer roads for both commuters and motorists.
“The days when our drivers were only trained in a staggered manner are over. The President has ordered that all bus drivers here at DavaoBus must have adequate training to ensure the safety of passengers, including motorists on the road,” Dizon said.
Dizon said the academy’s construction marks a key turning point for the DavaoBus Project, which had seen delays in the past two years.
Meanwhile, the DOTr launched its first Free Ride program in Mindanao, for buses plying the Lasang to Roxas route via Sasa in Davao City.
“We really need to help our kababayans, especially our commuters. The President instructed DOTr to find ways to provide some assistance to our commuters, especially students and senior citizens all over the country,” Dizon said.
“That’s a big deal because from Lasang to Downtown, P100 roundtrip. So the 6,000 passengers riding this route every day will save P500,” he said.
The DOTr and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (TFRB) are also studying the addition of buses on the said route, and the addition of other routes with free rides like Cabaguio.
The budget allocated for the free ride will reach P70 million per year, which will run from 6-9AM and 5-8PM, every day including weekends and holidays. The free ride will continue until 2028.
