MANILA - More routes reopened for traditional public utility jeepneys in Metro Manila, Transport authorities said Tuesday.

Forty four additional routes and 4,820 units were allowed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to operate based on a memorandum dated Oct. 10, the Department of Transportation said in a statement.

The latest development brought the total to 27,016 traditional jeepneys in operation covering 302 routes in Metro Manila since the general community quarantine was imposed, it said.

Jeepney drivers complained of lack of revenues during the lockdown as restrictions significantly reduced their income.

Buses, modern jeeps and trains were allowed to operate ahead of traditional jeepneys as the LTFRB worked on a routing scheme. Some drivers resorted to begging for relief goods on the streets.

• 28,000 jeepney drivers remain in limbo, as LTFRB yet to finish route scheme

LIST: Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) in Metro Manila as of June 1, 2020:

1. TRADITIONAL PUBLIC UTILITY JEEPNEY (PUJ)
No. of routes opened: 302
No. of authorized units: 27,016

2. MODERN PUBLIC UTILITY JEEPNEY (PUJ)
No. of routes opened: 48
No. of authorized units: 845

3. PUBLIC UTILITY BUS (PUB)
No. of routes: 34
No. of authorized units: 4,016

4. POINT-TO-POINT BUS (P2P)
No. of routes opened: 34
No. of authorized units: 387

5. UV EXPRESS
No. of routes opened: 76
No. of authorized units: 3,263

6. TAXI
No. of authorized units: 20,927

7. TRANSPORT NETWORK VEHICLES SERVICES (TNVS)
No. of authorized units: 24,356

8. PROVINCIAL PUBLIC UTILITY BUS (PUB)
No. of routes opened: 12
No. of authorized units: 286

9. MODERN UV Express
No. of routes opened: 2
No. of authorized units: 40

The LTFRB assured the public and the transport sector that more routes would be opened to ferry commuters during the pandemic.

Business groups have earlier urged the government to augment public transport to enable employees to report to their workplaces.