A month-long investigation on the road accident that killed 21 people last December16, 2013, has led the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to revoke the franchise of Don Mariano Transit Corporation.
The road mishap, which also left 24 passengers injured, shed light on Metro Manila’s ailing transportation systems and regulations. The incident in question involved a Don Mariano Transit Corp. bus falling from the Skyway, an elevated toll road in the southern part of Metro Manila.
This is not the bus company’s first incident. Several road mishaps involving buses from the 78-unit bus fleet also taint their record, one of which includes a 2012 incident where a motorcycle driver was killed. The same goes for many other bus companies in the National Capital Region.
It seems to have become normal seeing or hearing about buses involved in accidents. Even more alarming is that bus companies have gotten used to providing monetary compensation rather than placing preemptive measures.
The lack of foresight and accident prevention places commuters in great risk of becoming victims of road accidents. Hence, it is necessary to review the transportation sector’s priorities, as well as to overhaul the system and allow room for more preventive efforts.
Reacting to the incident, the LTFRB has proposed a bond system. The proposal suggests a safety bond system where bus companies will be required to post P 3 million worth of cash bonds, which will then be forfeited in the event of a road accident. This is accompanied by MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino’s logic that “if the driver knows this would be forfeited… he would really be careful in driving.”
The proposal sounds like a solution, but it is actually counterproductive. It tries to threaten drivers when they could easily run away from any incident and seek employment from other bus companies.
One viable solution, proposed by lawmakers, is to require bus companies to give their drivers fixed salaries. This should prevent drivers from speeding and competing for passengers.
It is high time that government agencies take their regulatory processes seriously. At the very least, drivers should be screened more thoroughly to ensure road safety.Drivers with professional licenses, including bus operators, should be trained, monitored and made accountable for their errors.
There are many possible solutions that could address the problems of public transportation at their very roots. At this point, it should be a priority to find a real solution for the system—one that upholds existing laws, rules and regulations, and values not only the welfare of commuters, but that of the drivers as well.
