The city government will convene leaders of tricycle operators and drivers’ associations (TODA) here on Wednesday to discuss strategies and measures that will further fast-track the modernization of the area’s public transportation system.

Mayor Ronnel Rivera said Tuesday around 2,000 transport leaders and concerned stakeholders have confirmed to attend the city’s first-ever TODA Summit, which will be held at the KCC Convention Center.

Rivera said the summit will tackle various issues and concerns affecting the sector as well as policies geared towards the full implementation of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), among them the city’s transport code.

“We will orient the TODA officers about the direction of the city government in line with these developments in the public transport sector,” he said.

The summit, organized by the technical working group of the city’s transport management committee, will be graced by Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor and Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Martin Delgra.

City Administrator Arnel Zapatos said they organized the summit to involve the TODAs in the city’s transport modernization efforts. He cited the rationalization of tricycle operations and routes in the city through color-coded clusters as provided for in the local transport code.

Zapatos said they are hoping that more TODAs will join the existing local transport cooperatives and adopt modernized units like electric jeepneys.

He assured that the city government will continue to support the transition of transport groups towards modernization, especially in the acquisition of electric jeepneys.

The city government has earlier opened a subsidy program under the Barangay Entrepreneur Support and Trust Ordinance that may be availed by local transport cooperatives to finance the acquisition of compliant units.

“We are fully committed to assist our transport sector in complying with the requirements of the modernization program,” Zapatos said.

The official said they will also ensure that the welfare and interests of the estimated 150,000 to 200,000 daily commuters in the city will also be upheld in the process.

The city was the first local government unit in the country that completed its Local Public Transport Route Plan, a requirement under PUVMP. It received a notice of compliance from the LTFRB in June 2018, a year after the launching of the modernization program. (PNA)