UV Express drivers also call for increase in seating capacity to 70%

With the seating capacity of jeeps, buses, light rail trains set to be increased to 70% by November 4, UV Express vehicle drivers are calling for the government to also boost their capacity citing the decline in income amid the continued increase in fuel prices.

According to Sauyo Transport Corp. Chairman Manuel Cruz, the additional capacity for UV Express vehicles will ease the burden for drivers, given the current conditions.

“Napakalaking bagay po na mabigyan kami ng karagdagang pasaheros. Matagal na ho kaming nagsasakripisyo, halos two years na kaming mahigit nagsasakripisyo, bakit hindi ko kami makita?” he said in a report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(It will be a big relief for us to be able to add passengers. We have been sacrificing for over two years. Why don’t they see us?)

At present, the capacity of UV Express vehicles was capped at 50%, or equivalent to nine passengers out of the 18 passengers at full capacity.

With each passenger paying a fare of P37, this would be equivalent to a gross of P333 per trip. Drivers would still have to shell out some P200 for gasoline and a P50 terminal fee, which would lead to net earnings of P83 per trip.

Drivers would then have to complete multiple trips to earn more, with additional trips needed for those who still have to pay their boundary to the operators.

The capacity of public transport is set to be raised to 70% starting November 4, covering railways and road-based public vehicles in Metro Manila.

However, this will not include transport network vehicle services (TNVS) and taxis, as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the vehicles are smaller.

Taxi drivers have also called on the DOTr to look into the possibility of including them in the coverage of the P1-billion fuel subsidy set to be released for jeepney drivers.

The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) last week said it would release P1 billion to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for cash grants to PUV drivers.

Pump prices were hiked for the past nine straight weeks, with the latest data available indicating year-to-date adjustments at a total net increase of P19.65 per liter for gasoline, P18.00 per liter for diesel, and P15.49 per liter for kerosene as of October 19, 2021.

The DOTr is looking at including other public utility vehicles under the coverage of the fuel subsidy and is in talks with the Department of Energy (DOE) to increase their fuel discount by as much as P5 per liter from the current P1 to P3 per liter. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News