Funds for establishment of Bus Rapid Transit in Oro sought

THE City Council committee on planning, innovation and development chaired by Councilor Ian Mark Q. Nacaya is set to tackle the status of the request for assistance on the funding source of the proposed establishment and operation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System in Metro Cagayan de Oro with Cagayan de Oro as the Main Hub.

It may be recalled the 19th City Council headed by Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin V. Uy adopted Resolution No. 13388-2019, requesting the DOTr for assistance on the funding source of the proposed transit system.

In a letter, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) informed the City Council that the request may not be accommodated at this time due to lack of funds. It was however assured that this will be gladly considered should funds for the project preparation be made available by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) or other funding sources.

BRT is a high-quality bus-based transit system that delivers fast, comfortable, and cost-effective services at metro-level capacities. It does this through the provision of dedicated lanes, with busways and iconic stations typically aligned to the center of the road, off-board fare collection, and fast and frequent operations.

Because BRT contains features similar to a light rail or metro system, it is much more reliable, convenient, and faster than regular bus services. With the right features, BRT is able to avoid the causes of delay that typically slow regular bus services, like being stuck in traffic and queuing to pay on board, The Gavel learned.