MANILA, Philippines - In its 70th year, provincial bus operator Victory Liner kicks off its fleet modernization with the acquisition of six brand-new buses. More units are set to arrive in the coming months to provide comfortable trips during the summer vacation season.
The new Daewoo buses will replace the company’s deluxe buses plying the Manila-Baguio and Manila-Cagayan Valley routes.
“We always want our buses to be brand-new so we can have the most modern fleet that customers can find,” says Victory Liner vice president for treasury and marketing, Marivic del Pilar. “Our company is turning 70 years old in October but it does not mean that our fleet should also be that old. We have to stay young.”
Del Pilar adds that the expectations of Filipino passenger are getting higher when it comes to convenience so the company takes care of its customers by delivering quality service.
“The riding public has become more discriminating and sophisticated. People don’t mind paying extra for comfort and convenience,” explains Del Pilar.
Victory Liner has been keeping its bus fleet young since the 1980s because it is more cost-effective, according to Del Pilar. Today, first class and deluxe service buses are replaced in their third year while air-con buses are replaced every five years. Last year, the company replaced 150 buses and this year, will provide 200 brand-new units to replace old ones.
The other brand-new buses arriving in March will usher in Victory Liner’s new service in northern Luzon in the same month. “We will have deluxe service for the Cubao-Olongapo-Cubao trips,” says Del Pilar. “Newer air-con buses will also be deployed in the Cubao-Alaminos-Bolinao-Lingayen route as well as in the Olongapo-Sta. Cruz and Olongapo-Balanga routes.”
Victory Liner’s fleet consists of over 900 buses. Its premium service is courtesy of 50 first-class and 30 deluxe buses. Each first-class bus, which plies only the Manila-Baguio-Manila route nonstop, has two seats in one row and a single seat in the other row. All 29 seats are wider and have more legroom. There is a toilet, Wi-Fi and electrical sockets for charging gadgets. A stewardess attends to passengers, and light snacks and newspapers are provided for free during the trip.
Each deluxe bus, plying the Manila-Cagayan Valley-Manila route, has the same features as the first-class bus except there are two seats in each row for a total of 41 seats and no stewardess. Light snacks and newspapers are also provided for free.
All Victory Liner buses are equipped with a speed limiter for safety, GPS for tracking and dashboard CCTV camera that records scenes inside and outside the bus. Another safety feature is providing two drivers for each bus plying the Cagayan Valley route, who alternate during the course of the 14- to 16-hour-long trip, reaching as far as Aparri.
Other destinations are Pangasinan, Baguio, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, and Bataan. Learn more about Victory Liner trips and schedules at www.victoryliner.com and the official Victory Liner Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/victorylinerinc.