MMDA renews crackdown on 'colorum' buses along EDSA

Manila, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has apprehended some 50 “colorum” buses in a renewed crackdown against buses without franchises plying the EDSA route.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said 48 provincial and six city buses found to have been operating without franchises from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) have been impounded at the MMDA’s Ultra 1 and 2 impounding facilities in Pasig City.

Tolentino said the MMDA also impounded 73 colorum taxis and Asian Utility Vehicles (AUVs) since the stepped up operation started last Wednesday.

Tolentino said the MMDA’s two impounding areas in Pasig City have been filled up forcing traffic enforcers to use the parking spaces of the flood pumping station in Libertad, Pasay City, as a temporary impound area.

“It is surprising to find out that legitimate bus operators have colorum units within their fleet, and most of them operate provincial routes.  It is the riding public that will greatly suffer once these colorums get involved in accidents,” Tolentino said.   

Tolentino said the impounded buses were traced to the Dela Rosa Trans, Victory Liner, Five Star, Lucena Lines, Bataan Trans, Saint Rose, JAC Liner, Baliwag Trans, ES Trans, and Philippine Rabbit.

Tolentino said the drive against colorum public utility vehicles along EDSA is part of the MMDA’s traffic decongestion strategy.

“Colorum and out-of-line PUVs only congest our thoroughfares. They should be taken off the roads to improve traffic flow,” Tolentino said.