Transport officials inspect Toyota’s P1-M PUV prototype

MANILA: Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) presented its modern take on the classic jeepney to the Department of Transportation officials.

The presentation of the Toyota modern PUV based on the Hilux was attended by TMP Chairman Alfred V. Ty, President Satoru Suzuki, First Vice President for Corporate Affairs Atty. Rommel Gutierrez, and Vice President for Corporate Planning and Public Relations Allen Rufo. On the DOTr side, besides DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, Undersecretary for Finance Garry De Guzman, Undersecretary for Road Transport Mark De Leon, and Assistant Secretary for Communications Goddes Libiran were also present.

TMP unveiled a 12-seater modern public utility vehicle (PUV) based on the new Toyota Hilux. The modern Toyota PUV classified as Class 1 of the PUVMP uses a Hilux Cab & Chassis variant meant to ply routes with narrow roads like barangay, municipal, or provincial thoroughfares because of its smaller passenger capacity compared to traditional jeepneys.

It is intended to replace tricycles and/or ‘multicabs’ which have an average seating capacity of five to ten. Class 1 PUVs have a seating capacity of nine to 12, which is a “better alternative when public transport demand is not yet that high to warrant a bigger mode of public transportation,” according to DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade.

For the Hilux PUV to meet all the requirements of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), as well as, of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), it gets added features along with other modifications. First the rear cabin of the PUV is most probably commissioned by TMP to fit 10 passengers comfortably with ample legroom. It is fitted with an air-conditioning system, CCTV camera for security, GPS, Wi-Fi, dashcam video recorder, an automatic fare collection system, and must be PWD and senior citizen-friendly. The converted Toyota Hilux Cab & Chassis 2WD is also Euro 4 standards-compliant.

The unveiling was part of the government’s effort to modernize the public transport system. The program aims to phase out old jeepneys and UV Express service vehicles by 2020 in favor of safer and environment-friendly engines. According to DOTr Sec. Tugade, “Modernization is not expensive, provided that you make the right choice. There is always a cheaper alternative.”

Toyota's modern PUV is priced at Php 998,000. This proves that the government’s effort to modernize the public transport system needs to be overly expensive. “Gusto lang po namin maintindihan ng marami na hindi totoong lahat ng units eh PHP2 to 2.6 million pataas. May mas mura pong options. (We just want people to understand it’s not true all PUV units cost PHP 2 to 2.6 million or up. There are cheaper options),” added the DOTr secretary.

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