A group of bus operators in NCR on Tuesday said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) gave them the guidelines on the “new normal” under the COVID-19 crisis.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said last week buses are allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity under the GCQ or general community quarantine. Jeepneys and motorcycle taxis, however, are still not allowed.
The group also said the “new normal” guidelines for bus operators include physical distancing, wearing of face masks, disinfection of buses, and an automated fare system, which would eliminate the need for bus conductors if implemented.
“Talagang ayaw na nila ng konduktor [they really don’t like conductors] because they want the automatic fare system pero hindi po sigurado ‘yun [but it is still uncertain] how we can do it…if it’s possible within a short time,” said Juliet de Jesus, managing director of Samahan ng Transport Operators ng Pilipinas to radio DZMM.
She said the group would meet with government officials later Tuesday to discuss the guidelines to be placed in Metro Manila once the lockdown ends on May 15.
“Meron po kaming ire-reiterate sa DOTr. Itong aming pagooperate ng 50 percent eh losses po talaga,” she said.
(We will reiterate some things with DOTr. This 50 percent of operations are really losses.)
“Meron kaming nirecommend na subsidy tsaka other non-monetary consideration pag nagstart kami ng operation. Fuel subsidy is one, yun pong aming amortization.”
(We recommended a subsidy and other non-monetary consideration once we start our operations. Fuel subsidy is one, that is our amortization.)
De Jesus said Samahan ng Transport Operators ng Pilipinas asked the Department of Budget and Management and Central Bank if it could pay its amortization within 24 months.
“Malaki po kasi ang aming amortization ng mga modern buses ngayon because of the modernization program of DOTr. Puro utang po kasi ang mga operators ngayon. We have to borrow or else wala po kaming operations sa kalye,” she said.
(We have a huge amortization for modern buses today because of the modernization program of DOTr. The operators are very much in debt now. We have to borrow or else we have no street operations.)
As of April 4, the country has 9,485 confirmed cases, 623 deaths, and 1,315 recoveries.