Cebu City, Philippines – “Look for alternatives.”
This was the suggestion of Cebu’s largest group of bus and mini-bus operators to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB – 7) on the latter’s decision to impose a P5,000 penalty on bus operators caught accommodating standing passengers.
In a phone interview with Cebu Daily News, Julieto Flores, President of the Cebu Provincial Bus and Mini-Bus Operators Cooperative (CPBMBOC), said they opposed the move made by LTFRB.
“We opposed this decision made by the LTFRB because it seems that they have not reconsidered other options on cracking down overloading PUVs (public utility vehicles),” said Flores in Cebuano.
“So, we urge them to look for other means of cracking down overloading PUVs instead of asking us to pay P5,000 just because we accommodate standing passengers,” he added.
Greatly affected
According to Flores, buses are designed to accommodate standing passengers.
“Just because we’re accommodating standing passengers doesn’t necessarily mean our buses are overloaded. Buses are made to accommodate standing passengers,” he added.
He also said the No Standing policy among buses will have dire effects on their income.
“Of course, our income will be greatly affected. We can only earn a few from standing passengers compared to those who are seated but with the continuing increase of oil prices, it really does affect our income,” Flores said.
In an earlier interview, LTFRB – Central Visayas (LTFRB – 7) director, Eduardo Montealto Jr., said their measures made to prevent overloading of buses travelling long distances has long been enforced since 2005.
He added that apprehension of buses violating the No Standing policy was intensified since November 2018 following the creation of the Inter Agency Council in Traffic (IACT), and mounting complaints from the riding public alleging that some buses keep accepting passengers beyond the vehicle’s capacity due to the Holiday rush.
But Montealto clarified that this applies only to buses and other PUVs that traverse more than 15 kilometers.
CPBMBOC has over 40 members of bus operators with buses servicing the routes in the northern and southern portions of Cebu province. Among its members are Cebu Autobus, Librando Lines, Sunrays, and Corominas. bjo