Compliant modern jeepneys will soon ply the streets of Metro Manila after a transport group expressed its plan to roll out at least 500 of these environment-friendly vehicles in the first half of 2020.
In an interview on Monday, Orlando Marquez, national president of the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators ng Pilipinas, said the group was trying to convince its members and other transport groups to avail themselves of the first commercially-available Euro 6-compliant public utility vehicles in the country.
“First, it uses gas efficiently, you’ll save on gas. Second, there are almost no pollutants, so you won’t have to buy medicine,” Marquez said, adding the vehicles are cost-efficient and support the administration’s PUV Modernization Program.
He said the plan was to initially roll out the new PUVs in the Quezon City Loop route—going through Timog Avenue, West Avenue, North Avenue, and East Avenue—beginning the second week of January.
He said the Certificate of Public Convenience for the route was yet to be issued by the Department of Transportation.
“They applied as early as 2017 but until now it still hasn’t been released by the LTFRB. Hopefully by January the CPC will be issued,” Marquez said.
Dubbed the “Aero Dynamic Air-condition Jumbo Jeepney” (Jumbo Jeep) and manufactured by Dongfeng Motor Corp., Marquez said the PUV was also fully-compliant to the Philippine National Standard (PNS) Class 3 set by the Department of Trade and Industry with the price tag of Class 2 modern PUV from other manufacturers.
According to the PNS on PUV Class 2 and 3-Dimensions, Class 2 PUVs have a passenger capacity of more than 22 passengers including those standing, while Class 3 PUVs can support more than 22 seated passengers, not including standing passengers.
Initially, Marquez said the jumbo jeep was upgraded with computerized electronic air reactor, electronic fuel reactor, and “Wonderlube” – all Filipino inventions — which resulted in its certification as a Euro 6-compliant PUV.
The jumbo jeep is fully compliant with the PNS Class 3, with safety features such as handrails for standing passengers, air-conditioned, multiple CCTV cameras, a side door for safer entry and exit, among other features.
Marquez said the jumbo jeep was certified by both the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Land Transportation Office after computerized emission tests, and certified as PNS Class 3 compliant by the DOTr.