A commuter's group on Sunday urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to lift the implementation of the point-to-point service for UV Express units.
Danilo Mangahas, chairman of the Kongreso ng Mananakay, said the agency must first address the concerns of commuters before implementing the P2P scheme.
He appealed to LTFRB Martin Delgra III and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to conduct a thorough study and impact assessment before its full implementation.
The LTFRB on Saturday suspended the P2P service for UV Express units until the middle of June.
Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Libiran said the decision was made to pave the way for consultations with various stakeholders.
Ariel Inton of the Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection, in a letter to Tugade, said the solution must answer both the recurring violations of UV Express units and the concerns of passengers.
"LCSP suggests that selected loading and unloading points for UV Express be assigned," he said.
Delgra earlier announced the LTFRB would strictly enforce the P2P service for UV Express units, allowing them to “only pick up and drop off passengers at their designated terminals and are prohibited from picking up and dropping off passengers anywhere in between the two terminals.”
"Under the franchise of UV Express, it should really be a P2P (policy). However, UV Express is a so-called 'premium masa' (means of transportation) so we have to consider the sorry state of the commuters," Inton said.
"Despite the scheme, there will always be someone who would get off along the way," he added.
