2 bus firms fined P1M, lose franchises for deploying buses without permits

MANILA — Two bus firms were fined P1 million for operating out-of-line during the Christmas holiday, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Tuesday.

In separate orders signed on March 28, the LTFRB also ordered the cancellation of franchise involving 10 units of the Dimple Star Transport and six units of the CUL Transport.

Board member Ariel Inton said that during the inspection of bus terminals under “Oplan Krismas,” the LTFRB found out that a Dimple Star bus (TYR 393) and a CUL Transport bus (HVP 746) were operating without special permits.

The LTFRB did not find merit in the respondents’ justification that the bus assigned for provincial passengers who had booked and paid in advance could not make it due to heavy traffic and mechanical trouble.

In hearings held by the LTFRB, respondents Hilbert Napat of the Dimple Star. and Carolina Lam of CUL Transport said they had to pull out any available bus fit for travel to address the emergency situation of passengers waiting to spend the holidays with their loved ones.

They said there was no time to secure a special permit as the deadline was over and the dispatch of the unit was immediate.

“While we commend respondent’s intention, … it is not within the purview contemplated under the rules,” the LTFRB order said. Emergency cases involve passenger-patient needing immediate medical assistance, evacuation and transporting goods to and from areas of calamity.

Dimple Star is fined an additional P5,000 for incorrect route markings on a bus indicating Cubao-Iloilo when the unit is authorized for Parañaque-Iloilo route.  SFM