Don’t prohibit old buses yet
Three transport groups in Cebu filed a request for moratorium on the implementation of a resolution issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board ordering the phase out of buses that have been in service for 15 years, reasoning that it is expensive to acquire brand new buses.
They want five more years to comply with the order to modernize.
The Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association, the Cebu South Mini-bus Operators Association and the North and South Operators Association filed their request last week before LTFRB office in Manila to stop the implementation of LTFRB Resolution number 2013-001.
The resolution mandated the strict observance nationwide of the 15-year age limit of buses and mini-buses even if these units were issued a certificate of roadworthiness from the Motor Vehicle Inspection Section last Jan. 11, 2013.
In February 2013, LTFRB lifted the resolution following opposition from bus operators nationwide, but it was implemented in September of last year.
“As of now, maglisod gyud mi og comply niini kay dili baya na barato ang pagpalit og mga brand new nga buses ug mini-buses,” said Julieto Flores, spokesman of the group.
In their petition, Flores said that they asked LTFRB to give them another five years or until 2018 to comply with the said resolution.
“Kanang five years okay na kaayo na namo. Makacomply na mi ana. Besides, wala sad mi gihatagan sa LTFRB og igong panahon to comply before they implemented this,” Flores added.
It can be recalled that in February of last year, around 40 bus and mini-bus operators in Cebu came up with a united stand against the implementation of the said resolution.
The said resolution stated that no unit shall be the subject of a new application for franchise, extension of validity of Certificate of Public Convenience, substitution of unit and for increase of number of units, if the said unit is more than the minimum requirement as specified by the time of expiration of the covering CPC.
Flores, who is also the president of the Cebu South Mini-bus Operators Association, said that because of the implementation of this resolution, Cebu has already lost around 200 buses both travelling in the south and north.
Flores said there are around 600 bus and mini-buses operating in Cebu.
He added that these 200 buses were mostly sold to big bus companies like Ceres Liner and Vallacar Transit.
“Ang among gikahadlokan ani nga moabot ang panahon nga ma- monopolize na sa dagkong bus companies ang mga buses,” said Flores.
He added that if the business of bus operations will be under the control of a few big companies, chances are there will be an increase in fare as there will be less competition.
“Ang epekto ana, ang pag- increase sa pletehan. Maapektohan gyud ang mga commuters ana,” Flores added.
Due to cutthroat competition, bus operators currently charge lower fares than what was approved by LTFRB which is P8.50 for the first five kilometers and P1.45 for the next kilometers.
Currently, bus operators are collecting only P6 for the five kilometers and P1.20 for the next kilometers. —/BRP