LTFRB distances from window hours policy for some provincial buses

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday said it is not privy to the supposed agreement made by provincial buses operators with authorities about the implementation of window hours.

In a statement, the LTFRB made the clarification on the announcements from provincial bus operators that they will be operating from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. only.

According to the LTFRB, this was in observance of the window scheme agreement the bus companies made with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

“At the outset, the LTFRB would like to clarify that the agency is not privy to the said agreement but was informed of this prior to the more than two-weeks dry run of the said scheme by MMDA, and that the agency respects the said policy they are implementing, “ it said.

The LTFRB also pointed out that the window hours scheme of the MMDA does not mean that provincial buses should only operate during the evening period.

According to the agency, the window hours only cover private terminals of the provincial bus operators.

“The agreement with the provincial bus operators, as explained by the MMDA during the meeting of officials from both agencies, was that the said operators may use their private terminals only from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM,” it said.

Beyond the window hours, the LTFRB said their origin and destination must be at the following integrated terminal exchange areas, where there are city buses that will ferry the passengers:

PITX - Quezon, Region 4-A, MIMAROPA, and Bicol

PITX at  Araneta Center Cubao - Region 4-A CALABARZON

NLET - Region 1, 2, and CAR

NLET and  Araneta Center Cubao - Region 3

SRIT - provincial buses from Visayas and Mindanao

The LTFRB hit provincial bus operators for supposedly not honoring their agreement with the MMDA, and vowed to hold them accountable.

“For their non-compliance, which is a blatant violation of their special permits  and certificate of public convenience or CPC to operate, the LTFRB will hold them accountable for this flagrant violation,” it said.

The LTFRB acknowledged the situation of many stranded passengers in Dau Terminal in Pampanga who were waiting for provincial buses going to Metro Manila, saying that it is “very heart-rending and should not be tolerated”.

“By not operating as they are required to do so under the conditions of their current special permits, they have made thousands of passengers suffer, such as the financial loss incurred by workers who were not able to work today and by those with business transactions, because of the absence of public transportation,” the LTFRB said.

GMA News Online has sought the side of the MMDA but the agency declined to give a statement, pointing out that the matter belongs to the LTFRB. — BM, GMA News