Operators ready to deploy ‘bubble buses’ for vaxxed

BUS operators are ready to deploy buses exclusively for the vaccinated population to create a protective “bubble” against the Covid-19 and to allow more transportation as majority of the fleet has been grounded amid the pandemic.

Victory Liner General Manager and President Marivic Del Pilar, in an event hosted by Gonegosyo on Monday, said the bus industry wants to participate in the proposal of creating micro-herd immunity, which refers to a close system that achieved high vaccination rollout already.

“The bus industry is ready to deploy ‘bakuna bubble buses,’ even starting with one in each route just to jumpstart the availability of safe spaces for everyone,” she said.

Del Pilar said that bus operators have been coordinating to organize the dispatch of their buses in a safe manner.

“Let the matter of competition take a back seat for now. Sacrifice for future gains is our current battle cry,” she said.

If planned well, Del Pilar said that the “bakuna bubble buses” can address transportation needs amid the pandemic, including the employees who commute daily to go to their workplace.

The Victory Liner executive said the bus operators can set pre-identified hop-on and hop-off buses. Companies can also prearrange said buses with preferred pick-up points, she added.

The “bakuna bubble buses” are also seen to facilitate long-haul travels.

“There are a lot of provincial routes that have remained closed since March 2020. One bubble bus is all it takes to open the route,” Del Pilar said.

In addition, Del Pilar said that deploying the said bus will also address the proliferation of colorum or unregistered vans, which do not follow safety protocols.

“Many of our fellow Filipinos have resorted to taking these vans,” she said. “They’re not regulated and are grossly overpriced.”

Earlier this month, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria A. Concepcion pitched the deployment of buses for fully vaccinated passengers in Metro Manila to establish a “bubble” for the public transportation system.