DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A group of jeepney drivers and operators in the city scored Friday the “experimental” traffic scheme as there were drivers already apprehended during the experimentation stage.
Edwin Fernandez, spokersperson of Transmission- Piston in Southern Mindanao said the “experimental” traffic scheme should only warn passengers and drivers without any penalty.
However, he noted that drivers apprehended by the authorities were charged with obstruction.
The traffic scheme, which was implemented last Nov. 15, assigned loading and unloading areas for public utility jeepneys in selected streets of NCCC Mall in Maa as well as in Pichon St. to lessen the traffic congestion in the city.
Read: New ‘experimental’ traffic scheme takes effect next week
Engr. Froilan Rigor of the Davao City Planning and Development Office said, the new traffic scheme was the DCPDO’s “way of alleviating the traffic issue in the city without spending much.”
“We should bank on people’s behaviour,” Rigor said.
But for Piston, the PUJs should not be blamed as the cause of the traffic congestion.
“It should be the private cars,” he said, adding there are five private vehicles for every one public utility jeepney.
“There are many private cars parked left and right,” he said.
The transport leader said drivers should be consulted in every resolution the city will be implement.
“It [resolutions] should help the livelihood of the drivers, and not cause inconvenience,” Fernandez said.
On the other hand, Piston lauded the city’s reimplementation of the Jaywalking Law saying that the proper pedestrian lanes that were “forgotten” and no longer used will be maximized again. (davaotoday.com)
