Green Frog Hybrid Buses

Green Frog Hybrid Buses
Slogan Because the Filipino deserves better...
Founded 2012
Headquarters Makati Central Business District, Makati City
Service area SM Mall of Asia-C5 Buting via Macapagal Buendia Avenue Kalayaan Avenue
Service type City Operation
Fleet 10 Buses (Sunlong, Zhongtong)
Operator Green Frog Transport Corp.
Website www.facebook.com/GFZET

Green Frog Hybrid Buses or simply Green Frog is an intercity bus company in the Philippines. It is the only bus company in the country that uses hybrid buses (or Euro 4 compliant electric hybrid, meaning it is simultaneously propelled by an electric motor and a diesel engine) that are environment-friendly.[1] Its first route goes from SM Mall of Asia in Pasay to C5 Buting via Macapagal Boulevard, Gil Puyat Avenue and Kalayaan Avenue.[2]

History

Green Frog was founded by Philip Go Apostol along with several friends who shared his vision of sustainable public transportation in March 2012. The bus company expanded into a booming business as the only first-world, safe, comfortable, reliable and environment-friendly hybrid bus company in the Philippines. He is a retired investment banker who studied (in an ivy league university), worked (as an equity trader, a restructuring & turnaround consultant and corporate finance adviser) and traveled extensively in the United States and Europe for some 25 years before returning to the Philippines.

2012, In a coffee shop in the Central Business District of Makati, he formulated his vision to establish safe, comfortable, reliable and environment friendly mass transportation.[3]

Philip proceeded to research green mass transportation for over a year, made several visits overseas bus manufacturers, conducted countless inquires on Skype and emails to the manufacturers. The vision transformed from a pure electric model to a hybrid model. Without government subsidies, not only should the company provide safe, comfortable, reliable and environment friendly transportation, it has to be commercially viable. Armed with thorough research he then proceeded to raise funding for the pilot project.

March 23, 2013 Green Frog's first two hybrid buses arrived in the Green Frog garage.

The company screened, hired then trained drivers and conductors who would be the front line of this industry transforming start up. Philip strongly believes and practices a non discriminatory hiring policy. Only the best applicants are hired regardless of age, sex and religion. A TV reporter pointed out the almost all the pioneering team members were women (3 of 4 drivers, all the conductors, the office manager) only the maintenance technician and operations manager were men.[4] Philip responded "I did not set out to hire only women. As I said, I hire only the best, it just so happened that in the pool of applicants the best were women."

May 2, 2015 LTFRB grants Green Frog the first ever franchise for hybrid commuter buses in the country.[5]

May 15, 2013 Green Frog rolled out the pilot project with 2 hybrid buses. The initial route started from LRT Gil Puyat Station in Pasay City to C-5/Buting in Makati City and vice versa. The commuter response was overwhelming. The company added three (3) buses every quarter to meet the ever increasing ridership. Along with the increase in buses, the route was also extended to serve its growing ridership.

June 2013, one month into the Green Frog Hybrid Bus pilot project, ANC's Green Living ran a segment on the start up [6] (forward to the 12th minute). In the interview Philip Apostol shared his vision for Green Frog and Philippine mass transportation.

November 14, 2014 The first extension was to SM Mall of Asia in Pasay was launched.[7] The second extension on February 9, 2015 to Market Market/Aura in Taguig completed the initial planned MoA-Aura route.

April 2015, given the ever increasing demand, Green Frog started full weekend service. Now the residents of Pasay, Makati and Taguig enjoy first world transportation everyday.

Without the benefit of dedicated bus lanes, Green Frog is able to maintain an interval of twenty (20) minutes plus/minute five (5) minutes. This service reliability along with the other innovations Green Frog introduced (dedicated bus stops, two door low floor buses, metro style seating for wider aisles, designated seats for the pwd, elderly and pregnant women, 8 cctvs per bus, tropical grade air conditioners, tap card payment system) make Green Frog Hybrid Buses truly world class.

New routes have been applied for in 2015. These will be announced when all the government approvals are secured.[8] Green Frog plans to expand its operations to 300 hybrid buses plying 20 routes in the next five years.[9]

Fleet

Green Frog operates Euro 4 compliant SunLong and Zhongtong hybrid buses, with the Eaton Hybrid system and Yuchai CRDi engines. The company uses only Euro 4 diesel on its buses.

The buses are equipped with 8 CCTVs inside and out to monitor all activity in the buses for the safety of riders. Air suspension and tropical grade air conditioners for comfort. And a hybrid system that emits 90% less particulate matter and 28% less CO2 and an ordinary diesel bus.

Routes

Green Frog operate a 32 km loop anchored by Mall of Asia on the west and Market Market/Aura Malls to the east. It passes along Macapagal, Buendia (through the Central Business District), Kalayaan and a small stretch of C5. The route intersects with the three main train lines of Metro Manila (the LRT on Taft & Buendia, PNR on Quirino Hwy & Buendia and the MRT on Edsa & Buendia).[10]

  1. SM Mall of Asia (Start and end of the line)
  2. Macapagal/Blue Bay Walk (PAL/Tytana College)
  3. F.B. Harrison
  4. Leveriza
  5. LRT Sen. Gil Puyat Station (Taft Avenue/LBC)
  6. Tramo (by E Games by the river)
  7. Bautista (Big red building)
  8. Filmore (by UniOil gas station)
  9. PNR (near Cityland, Mayapis)
  10. Chino Roces (formerly Pasong Tamo)/CEU
  11. Makati Med/Ayala (Tropical Hut)
  12. FEU/RCBC (One Central and The Columns)
  13. Mapua (corner of Reposo [Nicanor Garcia])
  14. Makati Avenue (before Pacific Star Building)
  15. Paseo de Roxas (corner of Paseo de Roxas and Buendia)
  16. EDSA/MRT Buendia Station (by the overpass, in front of Urdaneta Gate)
  17. Palawan St. (by 32nd St entrance of The Fort)
  18. Yabut Circle (after pedestrian lane, Andoks)
  19. Commercio (after intersection, after pedestrian lane)
  20. Lawton/Gate One.
  21. 11th Avenue (PhilPlans building)
  22. Pili (on the bus shelter after overpass)
  23. C5 (at the corner of Kalayaan C5)
  24. C5 Between the two elevated U turns

Operations

Green Frog operates 10 buses as of today. End to end, the trip will take 30 minutes off peak and 60 minutes during peak rush hours. Most of the passengers of the bus company are those working in the Makati Central Business District, the malls MoA, Market Market, Aura and students studying at Mapua, Far Eastern University, Centro Escolar University and University of Makati.

Operating hours are from 5.30am-10.30am and 2.30pm-10.30pm everyday. You can call their dispatcher at 09186099820 to get ETA of the next hybrid bus at you bus stop.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Melvin G. Calimag (3 May 2015). "After the 'e-jeeps', hybrid buses hits Makati streets". manilastandardtoday.com. The Standard.
  2. ↑ "Green Frog Hybrid Bus Route (MoA to C5/Buting)". google.com. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  3. ↑ Amy R. Remo (5 October 2015). "Green Frog teaches us how commuting should be done". http://business.inquirer.net/. Inquirer.net. External link in |website= (help)
  4. ↑ Eco-friendly hybrid bus rolled out in Makati. YouTube. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  5. ↑ "LTFRB Approves hybrid bus franchise". ph.news.yahoo.com. 1 May 2013.
  6. ↑ Olivia d' Aboville, Green Frog Hybrid Bus, Recycling Plastic Bottles. YouTube. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  7. ↑ Patrick Everett Tadeo (11 October 2014). "Green Frog hybrid bus transport extends route to Mall of Asia". Top Gear Philippines. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Iris Gonzales (13 May 2015). "Hybrid bues to ply Makati's streets". www.philstar.com.
  9. ↑ Kris Bayos (14 November 2014). "Hybrid bus operator to invest P1.2B to expand fleet, routes". www.mb.com.ph. www.mb.com.ph.
  10. ↑ "Schedules and Fare". www.google.com/maps. Google.

External links

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