Drivers under the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center opted to maintain a 50 percent load capacity in the absence of any guidelines even as Bacolod City was already downgraded to modified general community quarantine status since Dec. 1.
Undoc Secretary General Diego Malacad said he told member drivers and operators to maintain a 50 percent passenger capacity in public utility jeepneys to comply with the social distancing protocol.
Malacad said majority of the more than 6,000 drivers and jeepney operators in Bacolod City are members of the association.
But Jessie Ortega of the Samahang Tsuper and Operators in Negros admitted that their members have increased their passenger load capacity, from 50 percent to 70 percent.
Ortega said most of their units now carry 13 passengers from 10 persons only when the city was under General Community Quarantine.
He added that some of his members observed a slight increase in the number of passengers starting this second week of December because of the holiday season. He said he hopes this can also improves the drivers’ take-home to their families.
Malacad, on other hand, expressed concern over the Memorandum Circular 013 of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board that says all jeepney operators should form a cooperative to be recognized by the LTFRB as one requirement to renew their franchise next year.
It is difficult for their members to comply with the requirements to enroll in a cooperative since there is a pandemic and most of their members are earning less because of limited passengers, Malacad said.
He added that the new MC also suspends the implementation of the Transport Modernization Plan, or the phase-out of PUVs that are 15 years or older. – ML
