QC bares new routes for bus augmentation program that starts Dec. 7
MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City released on Sunday an updated list of routes and pick-up and drop-off points for its bus augmentation program that would be rolled out on Monday, Dec. 7.
The updated routes are as follows:
- Quezon City Hall — Cubao
- Quezon City Hall — Litex/IBP Road
- Welcome Rotonda — Aurora Boulevard/Katipunan
- Quezon City Hall — General Luis
- Quezon City Hall — Mindanao Avenue/Quirino
- Quezon City Hall — Gilmore
- Quezon City Hall — C5/Ortigas Avenue Extension
- Quezon City Hall — Muñoz
“We studied closely the routes and pick-up points so that commuters will find it easier to get a ride,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said in Filipino.
Belmonte earlier entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to help provide additional transportation to commuters.
Under the agreement, the LTFRB will grant provisional authority for public utility buses (PUB) that will be selected from bidders/bus operators to ply through eight routes within the city.
Belmonte expressed hope that the bus augmentation program would be able to alleviate the problems caused by the lack of transportation and to help commuters in the city arrive at their destinations faster.
City Administrator Michael Alimurung said the program would be open to the public during its initial run, but passengers would eventually be required to present a QCitizen ID Card, which would be released soon.
Alimurung, meanwhile, allayed fears that the program would contribute to traffic congestion, saying buses would only stop on designated pick-up and drop-off points.
“We also expect the program to reduce the number of private cars as motorists might opt to take our bus en route to their destination,” he said.
Alimurung also assured that basic health and safety protocols such as physical distancing, temperature checks, sanitation, and filling out of contact tracing form for each passenger, will be implemented.
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