FOLLOWING the suspension of bus units due to the recent road crash, Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) said that they may have to request for special permits for additional buses for the expected influx of passengers during Araw ng Davao next month.
During a phone interview with DCOTT head Aisa Usop Saturday, February 9, she said that there are still enough bus units to transport passengers despite of the suspension of 34 bus units of Davao Metro Shuttle last Tuesday, February 5, by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-Davao for 30 days due to the said incident in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province that left seven dead and 30 others injured.
However, Usop mentioned that with the upcoming Araw ng Davao to which influx of passengers are expected, bus units may not be enough to cater to everyone.
“Pasalamat ko kay mingaw pud karon, wala kaayo ta’y passengers karong panahona. Ang akong worry lang gyud is ang March kay one month man ang suspension sa mga bus units and Araw ng Davao naman na (We are thankful that there are less passengers at this time but I’m worried about next month for Araw ng Davao because the bus units may still suspended by that time),” Usop said.
“Tan-awon nato kung daghan gyud kaayo ang pasahero unya wala pa mabalik ang mga buses nga suspended, the possibility is I have to request for special buses sa LTFRB if ever (We’ll see if there will be too many passengers with bus units still suspended. If that’s the case, we might request the LTFRB for special permits of some bus units),” she added.
Meanwhile, Usop said there are other bus companies with the same route to transport passengers such as Golden Valley and the association of small bus companies which totaled to 30 bus units.