LTFRB: Nova buses suspended

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has suspended the operations of all Nova Auto Transport buses after two of these figured in accidents just hours apart.

The suspension takes effect today and will last for 30 days during which the Land Transportation Office will test the roadworthiness of the company’s fleet of 76 buses.

Its drivers and conductors will also be required to attend driving seminars and undergo drug tests.

“A 30-day suspension was the maximum we could order pending an investigation of the individual accidents,” LTFRB chair James Jacob said.

On Tuesday, the LTFRB suspended only 10 Nova buses after one of them hit a CEM Transit bus on East Avenue in Quezon City, leaving 23 people hurt.

A few hours later, a motorcycle rider was killed after a Nova bus hit him on Belfast Avenue, also in Quezon City. This led to the issuance of another order that covered the entire Nova fleet.

At the end of the 30-day investigation, Jacob said the LTFRB would decide whether or not to penalize Nova. Paolo G. Montecillo