TWO Ceres Liner bus drivers were fined for traveling out of route after they dropped passengers along Redemptorist Church on B.S. Aquino Drive in Bacolod City on Monday, September 11.
Superintendent Luisito Acebuche, head of Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO), said the two drivers were intercepted at 9 a.m. and were fined P500 each.
The licenses of both drivers were also confiscated.
“The Ceres buses are not allowed to unload or pick up passengers along Shopping area because it is a violation of our city ordinance. They should stop within the Northbound Terminal,” he said.
Acebuche added that there was a misunderstanding between Ceres operator Vallacar Transit Inc. and the drivers of Northbound Shopping Burgos Association, who are parking within the terminal.
He said they held a meeting with the Vallacar Transit personnel last Friday to settle the issue.
Acebuche said he was informed by Jun-Jun de Asis, president of Northbound Association, that the bus company is requiring them to purchase 20 liters of fuel from the Ceres Northbound Terminal gasoline station before they could park in the terminal.
He added that he has talked with the manager of the bus company who denied the allegations of the drivers.
Jesideth Seballos, media relations officer of Vallacar Transit, said the two Ceres bus drivers brought the passengers to Shopping area because there were no public utility vehicles in the terminal Monday morning.
“It was the initiative of the management to bring the passengers to the area without charging them so they could report to their offices on time. The drivers only delivered and did not pick up passengers,” she said.
Seballos also denied the claims of the drivers that they are collecting parking fees at Northbound Terminal and requiring them to refuel inside the terminal gasoline station.
“We are not collecting the amount of P21 as parking fee nor we are forcing the drivers from the Northbound Shopping Burgos Association or drivers from other associations to refuel in the gas station situated inside the Ceres Northbound Terminal in exchange for a parking space,” she said.
Seballos said there is no such policy issued by the management to any officer or employee.
“We would like to inform the transport group that there is no exclusive association for drivers in the terminal and the parking is free. Any transport group is free to park inside the Ceres Northbound Terminal,” she added.
Seballos said the parking space inside the terminal is intended for jeepney, taxi, and even tricycle drivers of any particular association.
“We provide this parking space for drivers who pick up and drop passengers from our terminal for the convenience of the riding public,” she added.