NU12 #8 - new PUV loading unloading system by the Great White

NU12 # 8 – PUV loading and unloading system

Everyone knows and experiences how public vehicles like jeeps and buses obstruct and cause severely inconvenient and time-draining traffic jams. I need not explain its effects in our lives and the economics of the whole country as it is already obvious. Enforcers are also lenient and forgiving to PUVs which empowers PUVs to break every single traffic law.

My idea is to have an RFID or any other identification tracking device with GPS installed in every jeep and bus in the Metro. An electronically controlled door will also be installed in buses and jeeps however, drivers and assistants do not have full control of the doors. More bus and jeep stops will be also established in major urban highways and busy streets like EDSA, Commonwealth Ave, Taft Ave, C-5 and the likes.

To force PUV's to load and unload their passengers in designated bus and jeep stops, their doors will only open when they are within the vicinity (and inside the yellow lane) of a PUV stop. Their doors will not open if they are not inside the yellow lane and far away from the PUV stop. In cases of emergency, there will be an emergency door on the driver's side where he can use to go down and manually open the main door from the outside. I don't think he has the luxury of time to use that emergency door to open the main door manually for each passenger who wishes to disobey loading and unloading zones.

Since they already have an RFID and GPS, the police or MMDA can track their activities. They will be easily caught if they violated any rules since the system will show and alarm the respective office. If an emergency door is used, the system will also alarm the office so they can send someone to check on the bus or jeep that used their emergency door. In side streets, the driver and assistant can control the main door; only in busy and major streets will the main door's use be restricted.

I know many passengers will complain because with this system since they cannot just get out wherever it is convenient for them. They will need to walk more to get to their destination since they need to get out of a PUV stop. That's one of the problems we have here in our local transportation system; passengers do not want to walk more and just want to get out of the vehicle right where they want to be even if it's not on a designated PUV stop and even if they are already causing inconvenience to others. In first world countries, passengers of public vehicles go down in designated stops and walk to where they aim to go even if it's in broad daylight. I hope here in the Philippines, passengers will stop complaining and just learn how to make small sacrifices for the benefit of the majority and besides, walking more will do your heart good.

Technology of today can make this idea possible however the large investment is needed. As prices of available technology drops as time passes by, we can expect PUVs to be governed by a system like this. 

Submitted by the Great White <there is an earlier  invention of former student that won award at UK>