Modern PUJs usher fixed-wage salary system

MANILA: Aside from better and cleaner modes of transportation, the controversial and highly contentious PUVMP (public utility vehicle modernization program) will also change the way PUJ (public utility jeep) drivers are getting paid. That’s the message DOTr (Department of Transportation) road sector senior consultant Alberto “Bert” Suansing wants to get across.

No longer will they have to compete with each other on the road, which often times forces them to drive recklessly endangering the lives of their passengers, as they will now be guaranteed a stable salary with benefits.

The current ‘boundary’ system is performance-based and depends on how many trips and passengers a PUJ driver can ferry in a day. The system also gives the bigger slice of the earnings to the operator. The driver takes home what’s left after fuel costs of the day.

“At yung matitira dun sa kawawang driver, kung meron, mahigit kumulang on the average is PHP400 or even less. Sa mahabang oras na pagmamaneho (And what’s left for the poor driver, if any, is more or less and average of Php 400, or even less. That’s after long hours of driving),” said Suansing.

Provision of benefits like SSS (Social Security System) is being considered and a shifting schedule in order to make the PUJ service more predictable and reliable

“Kapag kinakailangan nilang magretire, wala silang pensyon dahil hindi sila nagbabayad ng SSS, hindi sila binabayad sa SSS ng kanilang employer (When they need to retire, they don’t have a pension because they don’t contribute to SSS, and their operators don’t pay for it either),” Suansing added.

Also read: DOTr set for Phase II of public transport reopening

Photos courtesy of the DOTr