FILE PHOTO: Personnels from LTFRB conducting bus inspections
MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has released guidelines for all public utility vehicles that will operate during Undas.
On Monday, the LTFRB will make rounds at various bus terminals to determine their level of preparedness for the expected surge in the number of passengers.
The agency reminds bus companies to ensure that their units are in good condition like its brakes, wheels, lights and other parts.
LTFRB also reminds them to provide alternate driver per bus unit especially if the travel time will take more than six hours.
The agency also prohibits the sitting of passengers on the center isle of the bus so passengers could easily pass through.
It also reminds drivers to follow traffic rules to avoid accidents.
LTFRB Board Member Atty. Aileen Lizada have cautioned passengers against the modus operandi of some colorum vehicles that take advantage of the influx of passengers this long holiday.
“Some barkers will approach you and offer you with cheaper fares, and immediate travel of buses. You will no longer have to wait, you will be sent by a private vehicle that will wait for it to be filled with four more passengers. You will be brought to a certain street where the colorum bus waits,” Lizada said.
The LTFRB reminds the public to avoid riding in colorum vehicles because in the event that the colorum vehicle were to meet an accident, victims will receive no insurance or financial assistance they can use for treatment.
Authorities have assured that bus terminals in Quezon City are ready for the surge of passengers bound for the provinces.
“In terms of safety of our buses, these are ready for inspection of the LTFRB. Our wheels, windshield, drivers, drug testing, all of these are already conditioned,” Five Star Bus Liason Office Virgilio Nemis said.
“Lalung-lalo napo yung aming mga gulong,battery yung mga ilaw, talaga po yan eh tinututukan at binibigyan ng pansin ng aming maintenance (Our maintenance [personnel] is closely monitoring in particular the condition of our fleet’s wheels, battery and lights),” Jam Liner Terminal OIC Feliciano Perez said.
“Fully-oriented samin yan lalo na kapag ganitong tag-ulan. Binibigyan namin reminders, drive safely lalo kung madudulas ang daan ([Our drivers] are fully-oriented especially during rainy season. We give reminders to drive safely particularly when roads are slippery),” ES Transport Dispatcher Gener Diana said.
Aside from the safe travel, some of the matters being considered by passengers are the facilities of the bus terminals.
“It’s clean here. But in other buses it’s dirty. The CR (comfort room/toilet) is okay. But you still have to pay five pesos every time you want to pee,” passenger Maria Mora said.
“We feel comfortable. The terminal is clean,” passenger Zenia Pascual said.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB has already approved the application of more than 500 buses with provincial routes to operate during the Undas. – Joan Nano | UNTV News & Rescue
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