LTFRB: Solo provincial bus drivers not to drive more than six hours

Solo drivers of provincial buses are not allowed to be on the road for more than six hours, an official from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Tuesday.

LTFRB board member Aileen Lizada said the board has already issued a memorandum circular that set the maximum number of hours that a solo driver could drive.

“Naka-issue na po ang LTFRB ng memorandum circular in 2017,” she told reporters via Viber.

[The LTFRB has already issued a memorandum circular in 2017.]

Lizada said that according to the memorandum, if a single trip would exceed six hours, the bus should have an alternate driver.

She also clarified that the alternate driver should not be the bus conductor.

“Maximum number of continuous hours ng mga drivers ay six hours lamang, kung in-excess of six hours ang trip, kailangan may alternate driver na po, at yung alternate driver ay hindi po yung conductor,” Lizada said.

[The maximum number of continuous hours of the drivers is six hours only. If the trip will exceed six  hours, there has to be an alternate driver and the alternate driver should not be the conductor.]

Lizada made the statement after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered that provincial buses that have trips lasting at least 12 hours should have alternate drivers.

“Having only one driver for the entire trip is no longer allowed,” Duterte said in an event in Cebu over the weekend.

“Maybe one for Luzon, then another for Visayas and then another for Mindanao. They will assign a driver for each destination because if they don’t, the drivers will resort to using drugs to fight off drowsiness. When it reaches the brain, wala na,” he added.    /muf