President Duterte wants to scrap inefficient Jeepneys and Tricycles and replace them with electric or solar powered Beeps at great cost to owners and drivers and the poor riding public. Drivers pick up and set down passengers in unapproved places hindering traffic. Cebu City is considering fines for the driver of jeepneys and passengers.
Beeps are constructed like the jeepneys they replace with batteries plugged in to a wall socket to recharge or have solar panels on the roof. Solar panel models can even have windows and air conditioning, TV and wifi.
Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City and Lapu-
Lapu have routes run by Beeps. A couple of years ago Dumaguete trialed an easyride converted to battery. I don't know how it worked out.
Like the trike strike here in Dumaguete there is a resistance to change. Here is a story by NPR about a Manila jeepney owner/driver.
Then Covid-19 Lockdown came putting modernization on the back burner.
For those interested I will give you two links, one for a Filipino company in Manila who specializes in battery powered transport and another Star8 which is Chinese with a show room in Manila. Their address is: STAR 8 GREEN TECHNOLOGY CORP.
Store 20 Las Pinas Commercial Complex
No. 30 Alabang-Zapote Road,
Talon Uno, Las Pinas City, Philippines 1740
http://www.philippines.star8.green/
Pricing is unknown for both companies.
Cebu riders ride free for two weeks. After the free period fares will be collected with a prepaid card.
shakey aka John
Informative x 3
