DOTr reopens consolidation process for PUVs

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has reopened the consolidation process for drivers and operators of public utility vehicles (PUVs) who have yet to join the government's highly contentious Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).

- By DEXTER BARRO II

Under Department Order (DO) No. 2025-009, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon authorized the resumption of applications for consolidation and the issuance of provisional authorities for unconsolidated individual operators.

The DOTr, through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), previously set the final deadline for consolidation in November 2024.

Consolidating operators and drivers plying the same route into a single cooperative or corporation is a crucial component of PTMP, designed to centralize the operations of PUVs.

When the initial April deadline lapsed last year, unconsolidated jeepneys were tagged as “colorum” or operating illegally.

Transport groups have repeatedly expressed their opposition to consolidation, citing its threat to small operators and impact on drivers’ livelihoods.

Last March, Dizon ordered the creation of a special committee to review the PTMP to address the concerns of drivers and operators.