MANILA, Philippines — The country's land transport regulator ordered all public utility buses (PUB) to install global positioning system (GPS) devices by April 2017.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Friday, February 12, issued Memorandum Circular (MC) Nos. 2015-021 and 2015-026, authorizing all bus operators to install and register GPS devices on the units based on the following schedule:
- For provincial buses entering Metro Manila: on or before April 30, 2016
- For Metro Manila buses: May 1 to August 30, 2016
- For inter-regional buses not entering Metro Manila: September 1 to December 31, 2016
- For intra-regional buses: January 1 to April 30, 2017
The installation of GPS devices on PUBs is a government measure to minimize road risk, as the device can help the LTFRB check if a bus is within the speed limit and on its proper route, based on the approved franchise.
"The LTFRB’s main aim is to protect the safety of the riding public by regulating the speed limit of buses traversing our national roads and highways. With the use of the latest and innovative technology, we believe we can modernize our transport system and provide the commuters with reliable, convenient, and safe transportation services," LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said in a statement.
Four GPS devices have conformed with the technical specifications and passed the testing procedures jointly conducted by the LTFRB, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST):
Brand | Model | Serial Number | Provider |
Atrack | AT5 | 359551037925897 | American Technology, Inc. |
M-Rex Tracker | LDT-100BS | BATTSAM001 | New Culture Transport |
Vectras | V-02 | 865328020016571 | Vectras |
Unitrack | 3106J025 | 866699025272016 | Unitrack |
The LTFRB has already informed bus transport associations, such as the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP) and Southern Luzon Bus Operators Association (SOLUBOA), of the initial list of up-to-spec GPS devices.
Only the said devices and additional brands that will pass testing procedures can be registered with the LTFRB and installed on bus units. This can be done only by the GPS device provider under the supervision of the LTFRB’s personnel.
Bus operators who fail to install GPS devices will be penalized P5,000 ($105.124) per unit.
After the 30-day grace period from the end of the compliance period, an additional penalty of P1,000 ($21.03) per unit per month will be imposed.
The LTFRB will also penalize operators or drivers found tampering with the devices: P5,000 ($105.124 ) for the first offense; P10,000 ($210.28) for the second offense; and P15,000 ($315.42) and the suspension of their certificate of public convenience for 30 days for the third and subsequent offenses. – Rappler.com
US$1=P47.55