Operator claims LTFRB lifting ban vs old buses

CEBU, Philippines - If a Cebu bus operator’s source is to be believed, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is most likely lifting the 15-year age limit for buses and mini-buses plying the streets.

Julieto Flores, Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association spokesperson, said a “very reliable source” told him that LTFRB would no longer impose the requirement, which operators dubbed as “very discouraging.”

“I learned from a very reliable source nga wagtangon na ang (LTFRB would scrap) the15-year age limit sa mga buses og mini-buses. This is good news namo. This is very encouraging,” said Flores, who is also Cebu South-Mini Bus Operators Association president.

LTRFB chairman Winston Ginez reportedly would meet with bus operators on May 9 in Cebu City as part of his office’s transport summit this coming  May 8 to 10 at Elizabeth Hotel.

Flores said a draft memorandum was already made on the matter and it states that as long as the bus is in good running condition and with a certificate from the Motor Vehicles Inspection Center on its road worthiness, the unit would still be allowed to travel even if it already reached more than 15-year-old.

“This is victory for us. We are optimistic that this will be made known to us during the transport summit,” he said.

Earlier, CPBOA, CSMBOA and North and South Operators Association requested LTFRB to defer implementation of the 15-year-old age limit as they are not yet ready, considering also the high cost of acquiring a brand new bus, which costs P4.5 million each.

LTFRB issued last Jan. 11, 2013 resolution number 2013-001that it  mandated the strict observance nationwide of the 15-year age limit of buses and mini-buses even if the units were issued with a certificate of road worthiness from MVIC.

By October, or around 5 months from now, when registration should have started, Flores said 30 percent of the existing 600 buses, would already be more than 15-years-old.

Earlier, the operators group said that if their request is not granted, they would have no other choice but to file a petition reinstating the approved fare of buses and mini-buses the LTFRB approved in 2011.

LTFRB has approved a bus/mini-bus fare of P8.50 for the first five kilometers and P1.45 per kilometer for the succeeding kilometers.

However, due to stiff competition, bus/mini-bus operators opted to implement the existing fare of P6 for the first five kilometers and P1.20 for the succeeding kilometers.

“Kung ma-implement na gyud na ang (If they can implement the) lifting sa (of the) age requirement of the buses, we will no longer pursue our plan to file a petition for fare reinstatement,” Flores said.  (FREEMAN)