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Let’s hope there will be no fiery surprises anymore.
“After being grounded because of one unit that suddenly burst into flames in May, Comet (which stands for Community Optimized Managed Electric Transport) jeepneys—touted as an environment-friendly urban transport—are back in the streets of Quezon City,” reports Erika Sauler in Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The report noted that the Comer jeepneys “now come with an upgraded battery system which should prevent a repeat of the fire that forced the suspension of their commercial operations in the city.”
The Comet jeepneys are manufactured by the US-based company Pangea while Global Electric Transportation (GET) Philippines handles fleet management.
Frankie Endriga, Pangea Philippines general manager, explained that “the Comet jeepneys’ new battery system was similar to the electric vehicles used in Disney theme parks which has better safety features and simpler wiring for easier management.”
Meanwhile transport group Pasang Masda president Obet Martin said they are working with GET Philippines to encourage other operators to convert to the managed system. “Drivers won’t have to compete for passengers because they will receive a basic salary for eight-hour work. The passengers are better served and there will be less traffic,” Martin stated.
Comet jeepneys started operations in Sept. 2014. Oprating with the same fare matrix as jeepneys, they ply the SM North-Katipunan Avenue and SM North-Luzon Avenue routes from Mondays to Saturdays between 5:30am and 9:30pm. Comet jeepneys are dispatched every 30 minutes during off-peak hours and as quickly as three minutes during rush hour. For payment, Comet jeepney passengers use a cashless system with a tap card that can be reloaded at the stations.
Photo: Newsbytes.ph (screengrab)
