Local bus operators made good on their threat to keep their buses from plying their regular routes to protest the implementation of the number coding scheme for all passenger buses, including provincial buses.
Under the number coding scheme, buses are banned on EDSA that have license plates ending in 1 and 2 on Mondays; 3 and 4 on Tuesdays; 5 and 6 on Wednesdays; 7 and 8 on Thursdays, and, 9 and 0 on Fridays.The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said around 13,000 provincial and city buses will be affected by the scheme, 1,000 of them on a daily basis.
President Homer Mercado of the South Luzon Bus Operators Association said the MMDA should just issue special cards that would cut by 20% the number of buses plying EDSA. As if that would work? Special cards are prone to corruptions. Unlike Number coding which can be monitored not only by the police and MMDA but also by the public.
I hope that the government would not give in to this strike and continue to put the public's safety first. Most bus drivers in EDSA are reckless and careless about the safety of us commuters. Yes less bus means less space, but less bus also means faster transportation and less traffic. Less time for buses to return to terminals. If you think about it, number coding on buses makes sense right?
Soruce: www.abs-cbnnews.com
Image: article.wn.com
