The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory (LTFRB)’s new route modification is set to purge provincial buses from EDSA before the end of June.
According to sources of The STAR, the LTFRB is crafting guidelines this month which would cut the franchise routes of provincial buses to coincide with the provincial bus ban of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Similar to MMDA’s bus ban, LTFRB’s policy will set an interim bus terminal in Sta. Rosa Laguna for buses plying EDSA’s northbound lane while buses on the southbound lane will only be allowed at a bus terminal in Valenzuela City.
However, the LTFRB will not address the closure of provincial bus terminals on EDSA, which means that local government units (LGUs) will be tasked to shut down the provincial bus terminals, as stated under MMDA Resolution No. 19-002, according to the report.
“Before the month ends, the provincial bus ban will be implemented. The LTFRB has guidelines wherein (the provincial buses) will not be allowed on EDSA, but the LTFRB will not touch the terminals because LGUs will take care of them,” sources said.
Violators who will be caught disobeying LTFRB’s new policy will have to pay P2,000 for each infraction.
Meanwhile, sources also told The STAR that the LTFRB is helping the MMDA reach President Duterte’s five-minute travel time between Cubao and Makati by the end of 2019.
However, the MMDA said that its initial target is set at 30 minutes. – With reporting from Robertzon Ramirez/STAR