BAGUIO City Councilor Elmer Datuin is planning to lift the number coding scheme for public utility jeepneys (PUJ) following complaints from commuters about long queues at terminals.
Datuin said complaints of long lines at PUJ terminals have reached the City Council and he sees that the only solution to this problem is to end implementing the number coding.
"The lifting of the number coding scheme for jeeps will ease the lines and have quick return rides for all," Datuin said.
Datuin filed a resolution on Monday's regular session for the exception of PUJs in the city's number coding scheme.
It was approved on first reading.
Under the existing number coding scheme, there are only five instead of fifteen PUJs that can operate a day.
Plates ending with 1 and 2 are suspended to ply streets on Mondays, plates with 3 and 4 on Tuesdays, 5 and 6 on Wednesdays, 7 and 8 on Thursdays and 9 and 0 on Fridays.
Datuin said the number of jeepneys plying the city routes cannot be increased because of the moratorium set for additional jeepney franchise which has been in effect for the last 15 years.
"Wala ng bago na jeep kasi may moratorium na tayo, so wala na magdadagdag," quips Datuin.
The city official added the problem usually occur during rush hours where commuters had to wait for long lines and waiting time extends for hours.
The Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC) have already received petitions from commuters lamenting the lack of units serving their routes during rush hours thereby causing stress and inconvenience to them.
There are at least 50 jeepney organizations in the city. An average of 36,566 vehicles ply the city streets daily with registered vehicles pegged at 44,809.
According to the city's comprehensive land use plan, there are 21,197 public utility vehicles servicing Baguio commuters.
