Due to bus shortage, travelers whimper

OPINION

Jun R. Guiang

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte --  It is virtually a man-made cross put on the travelers' shoulder. I mean this acute shortage of commercial buses flying the Laoag-Manila route and vice versa. This summer season known for vacationing spree is a heyday for the Farinas, Partas, Maria de Leon, RCJ and other buses. Competition is no longer in their vocabulary as the riding public patronizes any available buses that can bring them to their destination. 

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These bus companies could not cope with the big demand of commuters. Due to the influx of local and foreign tourists, aside from the regular travelers, all night and day trips were fully booked during the past days. Reports  said there were attempts by out-of-line buses to take advantage of the transportation crisis, but LTO inspectors' vigilance proved effective against these illegal operators. 

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In some bus terminals in Laoag, ticket and reservation counters were congested with many passengers. They were seen in queue, especially during rush hours.Sometimes, arguments cropped up when some counter girls erred in the posting of seat reservation due to unavoidable confusion. Passengers of some bus companies were obliged too to pay fare deposit for every seat reservation. 

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The travelers' woes surely will continue to grip the riding public even after the Holy Week.  The crisis is aggravated by the six-month suspension of G.V. Florida bus firm, whose 180 buses were all grounded  in terminal as ordered by the government's Land Transportation Regulatory Franchising Board (LTRFB). LTO authorities had alleged Florida had violated several transportation laws that led to the suspension of its business operation.

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The alleged violations were discovered following the tragic road accident in Bontoc, Mountain Province involving one of its tourist buses. Many passengers including TV-movie comedian Arvin "Tado" Jimenez  perished and many others injured when the ill-fated Florida bus fell off a deep ravine.

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Amid this transportation crisis, what valued most is the general safety of the riding public. Every passenger must reach his destination with intact body and soul, so to speak. Speed maniac who enjoy adrenalin rush should not be allowed to sit even in seconds or minutes at the driver's seat. They are taboo in the transport business. While the bus itself is in tip-top condition but the man behind the steering wheel is a daredevil, what you expect is a worst scenario that may endanger the life and limb of every passenger.# (email: junrguiang@yahoo.com)