At least 10 modern bus units purchased by the City Government of Davao have arrived and are set to provide free rides for commuters during peak hours.

The newly acquired air-conditioned buses are equipped with ramps and designated seats for persons with disabilities (PWDs), as well as CCTV cameras, TV monitors, stop buttons, automated passenger counters, and bike racks, among other features.

Each bus has 48 seating capacity and can also carry standing passengers using its 20 grab bars.

Each unit will be connected to fleet management system for real-time monitoring and maintenance.

The local government purchased the 10 buses under the Davao Interim Bus Service (DIBS) to help ease the city’s public transport shortage, especially during peak hours.

Under the initial plan, the buses will operate from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily. However, these schedules may be adjusted based on passenger data gathered through the automated counter system.

“For these 10 buses, this is primarily targeted to be used for katong peak hours gyud nga nakita sa City Government nga medyo naay panginahanglanon. It will be free for everybody na pwede makasakay,” Assistant City Administrator and Davao Bus Project Manager, Atty. Tristan Dwight Dominggo, said.

The proposed routes have already been submitted to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and are awaiting approval, which is expected to be announced next week.

The buses are set to start operations by mid-November.

The city will also deploy onboard marshals to assist drivers in managing passengers during trips.

Meanwhile, training for 22 bus drivers is ongoing.

“As soon as these buses will be able to be used for training, we will have our drivers na mag-actual driving aning mga units that they will be assigned to,” Dominggo said.

Bus stop signages are also being prepared and will installed soon.

Beyond addressing commuter needs, the initiative serves as a pilot program for the larger Davao Bus Project, which envisions deploying up to 1,000 buses in the future.