MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is now accepting applications for special permits for buses during situations that might affect the provision of transport services to the riding public.
The LTFRB said the special permits will be used by public utility buses in certain contingencies such as opening of classes, anti-colorum operations, closure of public transport terminals in Cubao due to the violation of the ‘Nose In, Nose Out’ policy and celebration of regional festivities.
“The board came up with this resolution on special permits in order that we may address the shortage of buses in various regions nationwide. This board resolution has also been disseminated to the regional directors so that they may start to accept applications for special permits,” LTFRB board member Aileen Lizada told reporters Friday.
Based on LTFRB Board Resolution No.052-2018 dated June 11, applicants must specify the purpose of the trip and indicate the specific address of the terminals at both ends of the applied route.
The certificates of public convenience (CPCs) should be valid during the period covering the special permit and the bus units must have insurance coverage for passenger accidents.
The fare rate must be compliant with the authorized fare on the applied route and proposed bus units must not be more than ten years old during the time of filing.
The LTFRB is currently doing an inventory of bus units with expired or abandoned franchises as it starts accepting applications for appropriations of CPCs to address the shortage of bus units.
Under LTFRB Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2018-011, the filing and acceptance of applications for appropriation has been opened for holders of CPCs of public utility buses.
“We have issued the necessary action documents for the bus appropriations. We are awaiting for feedbacks and reports from the regions if how many buses were not confirmed or those routes that are abandoned. We have given the guidelines to start the bus appropriation. Once we have that list, we will publish it nationwide and then after that we will start accepting applications for the bus appropriation,” Lizada said.
Bus units must be compliant with the omnibus franchising guidelines of the LTFRB such as dashboard cameras, free WiFi, speed limiters, among others to qualify for the bidding of the franchises.
The LTFRB has last issued franchises to buses in 2003. (Aerol John Pateña/PNA)
