Enough buses at Araneta Center Bus Terminal for New Year travelers

There is sufficient number of buses that will ferry passengers from the Araneta Center Bus Terminal to their provinces as authorities reportedly no longer see a “major exodus” for the New Year celebration.

But passenger volume may balloon by Friday afternoon to evening and decrease by Saturday and Sunday, according to a report by GMA News Mark Salazar on Balitanghali.

On Friday noon, the crowd size at the Araneta Center Bus Terminal was reportedly smaller than that of previous years, due in part to the moving of air-conditioned buses to the neighboring Araneta Bus Port.

Waiting passengers still have to sit on the terminal floor as they wait for their rides, which may sometimes arrive late due to heavy traffic on their way from their provincial destinations.

As of Thursday, the average daily number of passengers at the Araneta Center Bus Terminal and the Araneta Bus Port was 2,000 and 4,000, respectively, but this is expected to increase.

The special permits issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) are said to be more than enough to transport the waiting passengers, some of them chance.

The LTFRB issued special permits for around 1,000 bus units valid until January 3, 2018.

Two buses were not allowed to proceed with their trips due to problems with their tires, the report said. The problematic buses had to return to the garage for replacement or repair. —Nicole-Anne Lagrimas/KBK, GMA News