Travel pass, early booking required to board prov’l buses: LTFRB

FILE: LEFT-DOOR PASSENGER BUS. A passenger enters the left door of an Edsa-Carousel bus at LRT Muñoz Station along Edsa in Quezon City on Thursday (Sept. 24, 2020). The Edsa busway system aims to help transport commuters in Metro Manila amid the general community quarantine still being enforced to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA – Those eyeing to take public utility buses (PUB) in commuting to and from the National Capital Region (NCR) will need to secure a travel pass and book their tickets two days in advance, according to an official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

In a radio interview over DZBB on Monday, LTFRB technical division chief Joel Bolano said travel passes will be needed by those taking the provincial bus once the service resumes on Wednesday (Sept. 30).

He noted that there will be no exemptions, even authorized persons outside residence (APOR).

“Kailangan po ang mga pasahero meron silang mga travel pass galing po sa ating PNP [Philippine National Police] at sa LGU [local government units] according po sa ipinapatupad ng ating IATF-EID [Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases]. Hindi po basta gusto nilang bumiyahe ay makakabiyahe po sila (Passengers will need to secure a travel pass from the PNP and their LGU in accordance with the policies of the IATF-EID. It’s not that when they want to travel, they can),” Bolano said.

He said aside from other health protocols implemented in other forms of public transport, those looking to travel through provincial buses will need to book and pay their tickets two days before their trip.

“Advance booking po ito, hindi po sila pwedeng magbayad nang nasa sasakyan na. Yung mga nakasakay, nakabayad na po ito.

Kailangan po para sa contact tracing natin ay may advance booking (We’re implementing advance booking. Paying inside the bus will not be allowed. All those inside a bus should have paid already. Advance booking is also necessary for contact tracing),” Bolano said.

According to LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2020-051 released on Saturday, 12 provincial bus routes going to the Araneta Center Bus Terminal and the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) will resume operation beginning Wednesday.

Passengers of these provincial buses will be required to wear face masks and shields at all times, use alcohol or hand sanitizers, adhere to one-meter physical distancing, refrain from eating, drinking, and talking with other passengers or with a mobile phone inside the PUB.

In addition to securing a travel pass, provincial bus passengers will also be required to present a valid ID with their address or place of origin, age, and school or workplace; a written consent from the passenger to allow for Covid-19 testing and possible quarantine; and other documents required by the IATF-EID and their respective LGU.