Green Frog Hybrid Buses

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, i.e. 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 in March 2012 by Philip Go Apostol along with several friends who shared his vision of sustainable public transportation. 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.

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

Philip proceeded to research green mass transportation for over a year, made several visits overseas to bus manufacturers and even conducted countless inquires via Skype and email. 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 had 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.

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 route was extended and the company added three (3) buses every quarter to meet the ever-increasing ridership.

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 that almost all 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."

June 2013 - One month into the Green Frog Hybrid Bus pilot project, ANC's Green Living ran a segment on the start up ^[5] (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 to SM Mall of Asia in Pasay was launched.^[6] 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.

May 2, 2015 - LTFRB grants Green Frog the first ever franchise for hybrid commuter buses in the country.^[7]

Without the restriction of dedicated bus lanes, Green Frog is able to maintain an interval of twenty (20) minutes plus/five (5) minutes. This service reliability, along with the other innovations that Green Frog introduced (two-door low floor buses, metro style seating for wider aisles, designated seats for the elderly and pregnant women, 8 CCTVs per bus, tropical-grade air conditioners, tap card payment system, dedicated bus stops), 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 (to monitor all activity in and outside the buses for the safety of passengers), air suspension and tropical-grade air conditioners (for a more comfortable ride), a hybrid system (emits 90% less particulate matter and 28% less CO2), and an ordinary diesel bus engine.

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 (Paseo de Roxas corner Buendia)
16. EDSA/MRT Buendia Station (just before EDSA-Buendia flyover, in front of Urdaneta Village (East) Gate)
17. Palawan St. (by 32nd St. entrance of The Fort)
18. Yabut Circle (after pedestrian lane, Andok's)
19. Commercio (after intersection, after pedestrian lane)
20. Lawton/Gate One.
21. 11th Avenue (PhilPlans building)
22. Pili (by overpass)
23. C5 (at the corner of Kalayaan C5)
24. C5/Buting (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 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 or text their dispatcher at (+63)918-609-9820 to get the ETA of the next hybrid bus at your stop.

See also

• List of bus companies of the Philippines

References