UV Express vans ready safety measures for return to roads on June 29

Some UV Express operators have prepared their vehicles for social distancing, cashless payments and other COVID-19 health protocols hoping to return to the roads on Monday, June 29.

According to the "24 Oras" report by Maki Pullido on Friday, one cooperative of UV Express vans plying from Rodriguez, Rizal to Cubao conducted a dry-run of implementing the safety measures among passengers and drivers.

Before boarding the van, passengers have to step on the foot bath, disinfect with alcohol and go through temperature check.

A plastic barrier also serves as a protection for the driver's side, which Department of Transportation senior consultant Bert Suansing said is the only area of the vehicle requiring such.

The seats were marked with tape to indicate the spot to be occupied by the passengers.  Only seven persons will be allowed to board the van per trip, which previously loads up to 18 passengers.

Cashless transaction will be enforced, where passengers could buy and load bayad cards at the terminals. The cards will be tapped by passengers to a machine before riding the van.

"Madali kaming nakapag-adjust doon, matagal naming pinaghandaan ito, dalawang taon kami nag-ready para sa modernization," Ed Comia of Metro Comet Transport Service Cooperative said.

The government has required a point-to-point trip, and prohibited the loading and unloading of passengers on non-terminal areas.

"Kailangan naming subukan kaysa naman sa lahat mamatay sa gutom ang mga tao, kaysa naman lahat ng mga tao namin mamalimos," Comia said.

Around 46,000 UV Express drivers and their families are hoping for the resumption of their operations after three months of having no earnings due to the lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 30 routes are being eyed on Monday, but UV Express operators are still awaiting the clear LTFRB guidelines. —Jamil Santos/LDF, GMA News