The Department of Transportation (DoTr) announced that the public can soon expect more seamless commuting experience once the Local Public Transport Route Plan (LPTRP) — part of the government’s overall transportation modernization plan — is fully in place nationwide.

In a statement, the DoTr said that it is presently working with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and local government units to rationalize the planned routes.

“With the finalization of this LTPRP, we can ensure that rationalized routes will be profitable and sustainable for drivers. That means that they can purchase new modern units,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.

The LPTRP is a plan detailing the route network, mode, and required number of PUVs per mode for delivering land transport services, which should be the minimum requirement prescribed for the issuance of PUV franchises.

The plan complements the objectives of the PUV Modernization Plan.

To recall, despite persistent opposition from transport groups, the government pursued its final jeepney consolidation program in April — an essential step for the PUVMP to take off and a month since then, Bautista said the present PUV capacity remains sufficient to serve all passengers.

According to Bautista, about 80 percent of operators and drivers to date have consolidated into cooperatives or corporations.