Only HM Transport Inc. qualified for premier point-to-point bus route – LTFRB

MANILA — Among six bus companies that applied for the premium point-to-point (P2P) service, only HM Transport Inc. has qualified to operate one of the three packaged routes, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Tuesday.

HM Transport Inc. was selected for the first bundle, which would include Fairview to Makati City and Ortigas to Makati City, the LTFRB said.

The two other packaged routes with no qualifiers yet are Katipunan-Makati, Libis-Makati and Alabang-Makati, Alabang-Ortigas, the LTFRB said.

The transport board will hold a consultation with bus companies for the reopening of the selection process with a tentative deadline for the submission of requirements on Feb. 20, according to LTFRB Chair Winston Ginez in an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

HM Transport would have to submit an application for franchise after it passed the selection process but it could provide interim service pending submission and approval of its operational plan, Ginez said.

The five bus companies that did not qualify were: Jam Liner Inc., RRCG Transport System Co. Inc., City Bus Inc., Laguna Star Bus Transportation System, and Genesis Transport Inc., which previously operated the holiday express service from North Edsa to Makati.

The nonstop bus service aims to encourage private car owners to use the premium bus service to help reduce the number of cars on the road.

Meanwhile, the deadline for the submission of requirements for the additional packaged routes of North Edsa and Ortigas to Makati has been set on Feb. 5. The special permit of Froehlich Tours Inc., which has been servicing the routes, was extended until Feb. 15 to avoid interruption of service, Ginez said.  SFM