DOTC orders pilot test of e-jeepneys

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on Friday said that studies are being done to find ways to improve the efficiency and reliability of jeepneys that run on alternative fuels, particularly electricity and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

E-jeepneys are already plying the streets of Makati

Transportation secretary Mar Roxas said the DOTC, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the Department of Energy (DOE) are working closely with the University of the Philippines College of Engineering to ensure the use of e-jeepneys and LPG-jeepneys as replacement to high-emission diesel fuel.

The alternatives would be in the right specifications to assure their safety, reliability, and affordability.

“Upon their invitation, I’ve also met up with a number of transport group leaders such as 1-Utak, Pasang Masda, Pejodap, Public Transport Workers’ Foundation, Altodap, Acto and explained to them that the government will help them switch to a viable fuel alternative. Results of studies show this move will make good financial sense, particularly to the jeepney operators and drivers,” Roxas said.

Roxas added that according to the initial studies by UP’s Department of Mechanical Engineering commissioned by DOE, little savings, if at all, are realized from the conversion of a diesel engine to LPG.

“Since the engine conversion can cost somewhere around P300,000, the jeepney operators will be hard-pressed to pay this amount if no savings can be realized in the first place,” he said.

Roxas noted that that the conversion of a jeepney to LPG is costlier than a taxi since the latter runs on gasoline, and only needs installation of a conversion kit.

“In the Philippines, almost all the jeepneys have second-hand, even third-hand engines, so converting to LPG requires changing the whole engine, including the transmission and differential, which is why the conversion is costlier. It would be grossly unfavorable to the jeepney driver or operator if they are saddled with this P300,000 price tag without the assurance of savings from the conversion,” Roxas said.

Alternatively, e-jeepneys cost about P650,000, and like LPG jeepneys, are touted as one of the solutions to solve the perennial problem of oil price hikes and environmental problems that are intertwined in the public transport sector.

“The most important aspect of this project is to come up with a step-by-step, methodical, and scientific way to ensure that the earnings of jeepney operators and drivers are not lessened by a costly technology which is not feasible in the first place,” Roxas said.

“I think the transport group leaders understand this. We will not rush into alternative fuels. It has to make sense in terms of fuel economy,” he added. — Newsbytes.ph