To ensure road safety, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman, Atty. Vigor Mendoza II, inspected Oct. 18 several bus terminals in Bacolod City, signaling a regionwide start of surprise and random inspections on transport terminals and public utility vehicles as part of the safety measures for the All Saints’ and All Souls Days on Nov. 1 and 2.
Among those inspected were the Ceres North Bus Terminal and the Bacolod North Bound Terminal in Bacolod.
“We want to make sure that all these transportation companies are really complying with the guidelines set by the LTFRB to ensure the convenience of the passengers,” Mendoza said in a statement Oct. 19.
He inspected the waiting areas and comfort rooms of the two major bus terminals in Bacolod and said the surprise inspections will be done regularly.
Mendoza also ordered all regional directors to start conducting inspections on all bus and other transport terminals in preparation for the influx of passengers for the Undas.
All bus companies and transport operators were also instructed to make sure that their respective terminals and stations are safe and comfortable for their passengers.
Aside from the facilities, Mendoza also assured that all buses and other public transport vehicles are safe—from the vehicles to the drivers and conductors— to ensure that passengers will go to their destinations safe and comfortable.
To ensure compliance, he said they will be deploying mystery passengers nationwide to check on the condition of bus stations and transport terminals starting on Oct. 24.
Mendoza warned transport companies of consequences if they fail to attend to the basic needs of their passengers.
He also rode a jeepney while in Bacolod in line with the instruction of DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez for all the department’s executives to take public transport for them to personally experience and later come up with recommendations on how to address public transportation woes.
Mendoza said he expects all LTFRB regional directors to do the same. ||
