LTFRB to hold May 10 hearing on bus operators who did not ply their routes outside window hours
MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will hold a hearing on May 10 to have six bus companies explain why their units did not ply routes beyond the window hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. when they are allowed to use their terminals in Metro Manila.
LTFRB earlier issued show-cause orders (SCOs) to Victory Liner, Bataan Transit, Five Star Bus Company, First North Luzon Transit, Maria de Leon and Genesis to explain a lack of buses outside the hours set by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
The MMDA set the window hour scheme to address heavy daytime traffic on major thoroughfares like Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue.
"After serving the show-cause order, we will wait for their answers and have the hearing on May 10 at 9 a.m.," LTFRB Executive Director Tina Cassion said in Filipino in an interview over Dobol B TV on Saturday.
Window hours are from 10 p.m to 5 a.m, and during this period, provincial buses can use their private terminals. Beyond those hours, they have to use integrated terminals such as the North Luzon Express Terminal (NLET), Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), and the Sta. Rosa Integrated Terminal in Laguna.
Several bus companies previously announced that their departures and arrivals in private terminals in Metro Manila would only be within window hours.
'No problem in the South area'
On Saturday, Cassion claimed that the bus operators were giving commuters a difficult time by only servicing their designated routes during the window hours.
Cassion noted that this was a problem among buses serving the north routes. "There is no problem in the South Area because of the PITX. It is only in the North where they do not want to follow the ITX (integrated terminal exchange) system," she said.
She previously said in an interview with TeleRadyo that provincial operators from the north "forced" their own interpretation on their agreement with MMDA on the window hour scheme, which is why they issued the SCOs because of their "defiance".
RELATED: LTFRB clarifies window hour scheme for buses
In a statement issued April 21, MMDA chairman Romando Artes said it was the responsibility of the LTFRB to require all provincial buses to end their routes at the NLET and PITX.
He added that the MMDA's main role "is to strictly implement the traffic rules and regulations, while policy with regards to provincial buses is under the jurisdiction of DOTr (Transportation department) and LTFRB." — Angelica Y. Yang with reports from Neil Jayson Servallos and Franco Luna
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