Cauayan City, Isabela—DOST Secretary Fortunato T. De La Peña led the turnover of the Hybrid Electric Road Train to the Local Government of Cauayan City relative with the opening of Smarter City Readiness Workshop on January 25-26, 2019 here.
DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña said, “With the development in Science and Technology, it is our task to bring this innovations to the people.”
This Hybrid Electric Road Train is designed and fabricated by Filipino engineers from the DOST’s Metals Industry Research and Development Center will help address the mass transportation in the city and other urban areas, Secretary dela Pena stressed.
Meanwhile Cauayan City Bernard Faustino M. Dy in his acceptance speech said, this turn-over is a confirmation of a wonderful consequence of partnership of the LGU, Academe and line-agencies.
The local chief executive was grateful to the Department of Science and Technology citing DOST-2 Regional Director Sancho Mabborang for the numerous projects extended in the locality and to Isabela State University President Dr. Ricmar Aquino with their collaboration on academe-based researches that address compelling globalization and regional integration.
Foremost reiterating Secretary Fortunato T. de La Peña as Cauayan City’s second dad and DOST as partner for life with its innovations not only in Cauayan City yet showcased in the whole world.
DOST-MIRDC executive director Robert Dizon said in the ceremony, “Hopefully this prototype HERT will create an awareness and acceptance among the populace that our technology exists.”
It has a maximum speed of 50kph and is powered by a hybrid engine that runs on either diesel fuel or electric batteries. The rear coach generates the power for the entire transport.
The road train is a series of four air-conditioned interlinked coaches, four of which can accommodate a total of 40 passengers each, for a maximum of 200 passengers per trip.
This vehicle is among those picked by experts to be at the forefront of mass transport in the coming years. Unlike conventional railway systems, the hybrid road train is more energy efficient since there is no need for alternating current running through suspended cables.
Secretary De La Peña hopes that with the larger passenger capacity of the hybrid road train, it will be able to absorb more commuters especially at rush time. “We hope to see them in our streets the moment they are fully commercialized,” he added.
This road transport also produces less smoke emissions compared with cars, trucks, or buses, thus creating a smaller carbon footprint and contributing to a cleaner environment.#
“Smarter Government, Smarter Economy, Smarter Environment, Smarter Mobility, Smarter Living, Smarter People”, these are the components of a Smarter City
Smarter Cities Readiness Challenge Workshop formally opens in Cauayan City, January 25, 2019.