Jeepney drivers, students lambast Davao City traffic reroutingscheme

DAVAO CITY -- The massive traffic rerouting scheme that has just been implemented here has drawn varied reactions from various sectors as drivers and motorists have to deal with the adjustments needed for the new routes.

Thousands of public utility jeepney drivers staged Wednesday a picket in front of the city hall claiming that the rerouting has lessened their income.

The drivers even went to the extent of blocking traffic along San Pedro St., across the Sangguniang Panglungsod building.

A number of commuters, on the other hand, complained that the rerouting would mean higher fares as they now have to get down at certain points and take another vehicle before they could reach their destinations, especially those working within the city's downtown area.

"Unlike before when we took just one jeepney to where we are going, now, we have to take several rides," said Norman dela Cruz, 28, an employee in one of the downtown offices and who lives in Toril, the southern portion of the city.

A number of motorists, however, welcomed the rerouting as it would mean that the concentration of traffic would be dispersed to other areas in the city's main thoroughfares.

The rerouting is expected to clear the traffic in the center such as along Magallanes, C.M. Recto and San Pedro Sts., where the city's commercial centers are located.

The city government urged the public to be patient as the rerouting needs some time for the drivers to get used to.

Officials of the city traffic management office stressed that the objective of the rerouting is to utilize the streets that were not included in the usual routes of the PUJs and other vehicles.

The rerouting would result in the opening of new businesses in areas where these PUJs pass. In that way, we will be decongesting the usual bottlenecks for a smoother traffic flow in the city's main thoroughfares," a CTMO official said.