Ochia: A thousand new PUV units on their way
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The United Negros Transport Cooperative (UNETCO) yesterday announced, through a partnership with Yellowdot Transport Inc., new Euro 4-compliant public utility vehicles (PUVs) will soon operate along Bacolod City streets. According to UNETCO chair Marcelo Ochia, they are currently awaiting route configuration and franchise approval from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
“The people of Bacolod will witness the transition from the traditional jeepneys to the new and state of the art modernized jeep, which are environment-friendly, using the Euro-4 technology, [and] equipped with CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras, air-conditioned units, and cashless fare system,” he explained.
Euro 4 refers to vehicles being in compliance with European emission standards.
Ochia projects, once in operation, the vehicles will transport passengers to Punta Taytay, Fortune Towne, and the Regent Pearl Homes Subdivision in Barangay Alijis.
The city currently has 25 units but, he affirmed, “About a thousand more units are coming.”
Riding the modernized PUV will come at a cost as fares are P2 higher than the traditional jeepney.
With the anticipated influx of so many PUVs, various city government officials have previously blamed traffic congestion on the number of vehicles currently on city roads./DGB, WDJ