Utility Vehicle (UV) Express(formerly known asFX,Metered Taxi,andGT or Garage-to-Terminal Express) is a license to operate utility vehicles, particularly vans, as an alternative mode of public transportation in thePhilippines.The term also refers to the vehicles themselves. This is one of the two types ofshare taxiservices in the Philippines with the bus-likeJeepney.There is new law about transport franchising and formation of Transport Cooperatives through the government office of the Cooperative Development authority as part of the government’s modernization program.
History
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In 1993,Toyota Motor Philippinesintroduced the third generationTamaraw FX.This vehicle was designed and marketed as asmaller type of utility vehicle(as compared to the larger utility vehicles in countries like the United States). The Tamaraw FX could basically seat a driver and one passenger in front, three passengers in the second row, with a relatively large space left for luggage. This luggage space, however, has traditionally been used by operators to provide additional seating space, producing a rather limited legroom. This vehicle, as well as comparable offerings from other automobile manufacturers such asMitsubishi Adventure,Isuzu Hi-Lander/Crosswindand in rarer instances, theToyota Innova,would eventually be used as a form of public transport, colloquially referred to as the "FX".
Over time, the FX has been replaced by larger vehicles such as theNissan Urvan,Hyundai Starex,Hyundai Grace, Kia Pregio, Kia Besta, Mitsubishi L300,Isuzu NHRi-Van,Foton View Transvan,andToyota HiAce.With these new vehicles, the luggage space has been fully removed to add seating space, with the same limited legroom as the first ones, which has been a cause for complaints of overloading.
Public transport model
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UV Express follows thefranchiseemodel and has more than 120 services in the Philippines including the (National Capital region).[1]The country'sLand Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Boardserves as the owner of the franchise.
UV Express vans and compact MPVs are air conditioned, usually seat 10–18 passengers and charge₱2.00per kilometer (as of 2013).[2]InMetro Manila,they have their own passenger terminals, mostly stops atcentral business districtssuch asAlabang(Starmall Alabang),Araneta City(Farmers Plaza)Ayala Alabang(Alabang Town Center),Bay City(SM Mall of Asia),Binondo(Divisoria),Bonifacio Global City(Market! Market!),Diliman(SM North EDSAandTrinoma),Makati CBD(Ayala Center), andOrtigas Center(Robinsons Galleria,SM Megamall,andStarmall EDSA-Shaw). Until it reaches tocity centerssuch asCaloocan(Bonifacio Monument),Ermita(Liwasang Bonifacio), La Loma (Suki Market),Marikina(Marikina Heights,Marikina Market, Parang, and SSS Village),Novaliches(Fairview Terraces,Novaliches Market,Robinsons Novaliches,andSM City Fairview),Pasig(Pasig Market and San Joaquin), andQuiapo(Quinta Market), or industrial areas such asFTI Complex(Arca South) andSucat,or its neighboring provinces inGreater Manila Areasuch asBulacan,Cavite,Laguna,andRizal.[3]
The nameUVstands for "Utility Vehicle".[4]
References
edit- ^"List of Registered UV Express routes"(PDF).LTFRB – Land Transport Franchising and Regulatory Body.RetrievedSeptember 30,2013.
- ^Camus, Miguel (August 19, 2013)."LTFRB warns overcharging UV Express taxi drivers".Philippine Daily Inquirer.RetrievedSeptember 30,2013.
- ^Amojelar, Darwin (August 18, 2013)."LTFRB warns UV Express operators: Don't overcharge Coastal Mall-Lawton passengers".Inter Aksyon News.RetrievedSeptember 30,2013.
- ^Mayuga, Jonathan (December 18, 2012)."Drivers stand to lose jobs with phase-out of old UV Express units–labor group".Business Mirror.RetrievedSeptember 30,2013.