THE Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) has acquired 25 new scooters worth P6 million for their traffic enforcers.
The Yamaha NMAX 155 scooters were given to some of the city’s traffic enforcers as a way to further hasten their response to traffic incidents, especially during peak hours.
Lyntoni Alburo, CCTO head, said the 25 scooters have blinkers, sirens, public address system, crash guards, side boxes and even digital handheld radios.
Alburo said the scooters were not acquired immediately after experiencing two failed biddings before the city’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).
Only RDAK Transport Equipment Inc. and Jomara participated in the bid.
Alburo said after two failed biddings, the City resorted to negotiated procurement with RDAK but it took a while for the transport firm to agree due to budgetary concerns.
Alburo said each scooter is worth P145,000 without accessories.
The supplier had experienced delays in delivering the scooters to CCTO after the City asked for accessories and that they had to order additional units to comply with the contract.
Paul Gotiong, CCTO spokesperson, said before they turned over the scooters to the traffic enforcers, they had them undergo defensive driving and technique seminars with the Highway Patrol Group-Central Visayas (HPG 7) for at least 40 hours last month.
The trainings aimed to improve their traffic enforcement capability while on mobile patrol, Gotiong added.
Gotiong said that they chose that particular brand of scooter because of its maneuverability, fuel economy and speed compared to bigger and bulkier bikes.
With their new scooters, Gotiong expects that their traffic enforcers will be able to respond quickly to traffic incidents and lessen traffic congestion within the city’s major thoroughfares. (PAC / JKV)