LTFRB to cut buses along EDSA by 80%

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board announced yesterday it will reduce the number of buses plying EDSA by 80 percent over five years.

LTFRB chairman Alberto Suansing said they are enforcing a “franchise attrition” to substantially reduce the number of buses plying the major thoroughfare.

“At any given time, there are 4,000 to 5,000 buses plying along Edsa right now. As per our computation, there can’t be more than 1,000 buses on EDSA,” he said.

With the franchise attrition, operators whose buses ply EDSA can no longer renew expired franchises with the LTFRB, Suansing said. The LTFRB franchise for bus operators lasts five years.

“The LTFRB’s concern is the commuters. Not all of us can go public transportation as a business,” he said, noting that thousands of bus drivers who will be affected by the attrition can go into other lines of work.

Suansing also said they will amend the franchises issued by the LTFRB to provincial bus operators so their units will no longer be allowed to go through EDSA. – philstar.com