Tuesday, March 18, 2008 North bus terminal issues guidelines
RESERVING seats for a fee is banned at the North Bus Terminal (NBT) as all passengers will now be required to fall in line before boarding, said Senior Insp. Eddie Castañeda, Subangdaku Police chief.
Castañeda said this in preparation for the Holy Week when most people go home to their hometowns.
He said this is one of the policies agreed by all members of the Terminal Management Board during their meeting last week.
Buses already carrying passengers will not be allowed to enter the terminal. Only those with the driver and conductor on board are allowed to load passengers at the terminal to keep unscrupulous “manreserbahay” from engaging their racket.
Castañeda said these “manreserbahay” get on board ahead of everybody and sell their seats to incoming passengers at a rate ranging from P50 to P200 per space.
If these half-filled buses insist on entering with few passengers on board, police and Land Transportation Office (LTO) personnel will come in, said Castañeda.
It was also agreed during the meeting that there will be terminal personnel to man passenger lines for boarding, while security personnel and the police will inspect passengers and their baggage for deadly weapons.
Peak period
Starting yesterday Castañeda, whose jurisdiction includes the NBT and surrounding areas, assigned two policemen per eight-hour shift at the terminal.
Tomorrow, the start of the peak period, people will be crowding transport terminals to catch a ride to their hometowns to spend for a long holiday.
He said the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) will add two more personnel per shift, making it four policemen on duty per shift inside the terminal.
Aside from the city police and transportation personnel, Castañeda will also tap barangay intelligence network (BIN) personnel and barangay tanods to secure the terminal.
Terminal Supervisor Nemecio Lumapac said NBT houses an average of 110 buses from four different bus companies and 47 independent mini-buses plying Sogod and Borbon towns. (OCP)
