ILOILO – The Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) reported a smooth execution of the first day of a province-wide simulation exercise, or “dry run”, for the proposed Provincial Public Transport Route Plan (PPTRP) yesterday.
The initial cluster of routes tested was the ALEOSAN routes, which included Alimodian-Iloilo City, Leon-Iloilo City, Leon-Pavia Terminal, and San Miguel-Iloilo City.
Starting at 6 a.m., the PPDO technical team stationed themselves in Barangay Jibao-an, Pavia town, specifically in front of Centennial Town Homes, to gather data on public utility vehicles (PUVs) passing by, including both traditional and modernized jeepneys.
PPDO chief Mario Nillos, who supervised the dry run, said the exercise proceeded smoothly without any problems. Their team was able to quickly gather the necessary data from passing PUVs, such as plate numbers, passenger counts, arrival times at the survey area, dispatch times from terminals, and turnaround times.
For example, during the dry run on the San Miguel-Iloilo City routes, the PPDO tagged 40 PUVs with flaglets for observation to align with the proposed route plan’s projected fleet number.
Dispatch times were managed to ensure efficient operation and to prevent congestion at terminals, with PUVs dispatched every two minutes in San Miguel.
On routes operated by a single cooperative, like those of Alimodian and Leon, the dispatch times remained unchanged, with the team focusing on passenger counts.
The exercise aimed to match passenger demand with vehicle supply, as part of the PPDO’’s submission to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Determining the actual situation and fleet requirements per route is crucial for ensuring passenger comfort, explained Nillos.
Following the initial findings, adjustments to the fleet size will be made where necessary.
The next dry run for the ALEOSAN routes is scheduled for Feb. 19, Monday, to assess the situation during peak hours.
Subsequent simulations will cover Southern Iloilo Routes, Northern-Central Routes, Central Line Routes, and Northern Iloilo Routes, each planned for specific dates in February and March, with observation locations detailed in the report.
Nillos said the simulation exercise encompasses all routes from the 42 towns and Passi City, not just those from the “first towns” allowed to enter Iloilo City. The exercise is part of a broader effort to optimize public transport across the province./PN
