Last February 8, 2023, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced that it will extend the deadline for the total phase out of traditional jeepneys to a later date. Prior to that, the agency set the deadline on March 2023 for PUJs outside NCR, and April 2023 for those within the Metro.
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Now there’s a new deadline, and the LTFRB has set it on June 30, 2023. Operators who do not comply run the risk of getting their franchises revoked. Also, the June 30 deadline applies to PUVs nationwide, meaning old PUJ operators within and outside the Metro must adhere to the announcement. On top of that, the traditional jeepney operations must join a transport cooperative before the said date.
There are still about 25,000 PUV operators that have yet to comply with the PUVMP rules. The LTFRB said that only 60% have complied with the government’s guidelines, meaning the remaining 40% have four months to get all their affairs in order. With that, the LTFRB is urging all old jeepney operators to act as soon as possible. If the operator is in the process of acquiring a modern PUV unit or joining a transport co-op, the agency will allow them to continue using the old jeepney until the end of the year.
But for those displaced by the PUVMP, the LTFRB promises aid to those affected. The agency says drivers and operators may avail training from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and financial assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Modern PUVs are required to have Euro 4 engines (if powered by diesel), CCTV Cameras, GPS, an automated fare collection system, and exits on the right-hand side of the vehicle. Several manufacturers such as Isuzu, Fuso, and Hyundai have made models that suit the government’s requirements.
