Bus firm faces P1-M fine

MANILA, Philippines - A provincial bus operator may be fined  P1 million after it was caught operating out of line when the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) conducted an inspection of a bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City yesterday morning.

Joanna Jesh, bus operator of the Mega Bus Lines Corp. allowed its bus (TYJ-534) to wait for passengers bound for Leyte at the Cubao bus terminal, LTFRB board member Ariel Inton said.

The bus is supposed to wait for passengers bound for Tagbilaran, Bohol at the Market! Market! terminal in Taguig.

Inton said Joanna Jesh’s franchise was also expired.

 “So it was a double violation: (the firm) is operating out-of-line or colorum and has an expired franchise,” he said, adding that Joanna Jesh has no special permit to operate outside its designated route.

The bus firm also failed to have a fire extinguisher in the bus, Inton said.

Bus driver Jose Balasabas said he had not had enough sleep and there had been problems with the vehicle since Wednesday night. “They just did something to (be able) to use the bus,” Inton said.

He also said the bus did not start when the LTFRB team tested it. Balasabas said the battery might have been drained when they turned on the air conditioning unit in the bus. 

Inton said he will recommend that the board order the bus firm to explain why it should be allowed to continue to operate the unit despite committing various violations.