LTFRB-7 chief suggests PUV drivers enroll in Drivers Academy program

CEBU CITY, Philippines- The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) is urging public utility vehicle (PUV) operators to enroll their drivers in the agency’s Drivers Academy program.

The Drivers Academy program is an initiative of the LTFRB which teaches PUV drivers lessons on values formation, customer courtesy, and traffic rules.

LTFRB-7 regional director Eduardo Montealto said that he will be urging operators to identify their drivers who have not yet participated in the program and let them enroll for free.

Read: LTFRB-7 issues show cause order for bus liner involved in multiple crash incidents

“Kadto man gung nagsugod ang pandemic, posible nga nangawala nato ang ilang mga drivers ug mga bag-o nanang ilang na-hire nga mga drivers ug wala pa maka-apil sa atong Drivers Academy,” Montealto said.

(It is possible that when the pandemic started, their previous drivers may have left and these newly hired drivers were still not able to join the Drivers Academy program.)  

Montealto stressed the need for this after recent vehicular accidents involved PUVs. He believes that these accidents may have been caused by human error.

Read: Motorists urged: Give way to emergency vehicles

“Sa driver gyud guro ni, human error. Careful lang gyud unta kay condition baya na pirmi ang ilang buses,” he added.

(It must have been human error because the buses are usually in good condition.)

Montealto, however, admitted that letting the drivers join the program is not an assurance that erring drivers will improve the way they drive.  But he is hopeful that this will lessen the number of complaints, violations, and accidents on the road.

/bmjo