The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has allowed an additional 20 public utility buses to operate on the EDSA Busway. This was a response to the apparent need for more buses on EDSA, and it is in line with the Department of Transportation’s five-point action plan to address the huge demand for public transport.
As more and more businesses are reopening, the need for more PUVs are also rising
Of note, we reported earlier this month that this came to the DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade’s attention when several social media posts showed masses of commuters lining up on EDSA Carousel Bus stops. Hopefully, the 20 additional PUBs on top of the already existing 428 PUBs can address this issue.
As usual, the aforementioned 20 bus units were subject to several requirements. These included an existing and up-to-date Certificate of Public Convenience or an application to extend the said paper’s validity. Also, a public utility vehicle should be registered with the Personal Passenger Insurance Policy.
When using PUVs, don't forget the minimum health and safety protocols
And of course, the said buses should be following minimum health and safety requirements as mandated by health experts. COVID-19 after all, is still pretty much a thing, despite Metro Manila’s recent move to the less strict form of general community quarantine.
For your information, here’s a list of all the authorized public utility vehicles that were allowed to operate as of June 1, 2020, the first General Community Quarantine.
| PUV Type | Number of Routes | Number of Authorized Units |
| Traditional Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) | 488 | 40,205 |
| Modern Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) | 51 | 970 |
| Public Utility Bus (City Pub) | 35 | 4,550 |
| Point-to-Point Bus (City P2P) | 35 | 404 |
| UV Express | 144 | 9,091 |
| TAXI | - | 21,663 |
| Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) | - | 25,495 |
| Modern UV Express (Class 3) | 3 | 55 |
| Provincial PUB (with Metro Manila routes) | 241 | 5,350 |
| Provincial P2P (with Metro Manila routes) | 7 | 204 |
| Provincial PUB (without Metro Manila routes) | 8 | 104 |
| Provincial P2P (without Metro Manila routes) | 3 | 65 |
| Provincial UV Express (without Metro Manila Routes) | 3 | 57 |
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