12,000 say: Cancel bus franchises without speed limiters

MANILA, Philippines - Over 12,000 netizens have signed a petition asking government to revoke franchises of bus firms that refuse to install speed limiters on their vehicles.

In the plea addressed to Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Winston Ginez and Transportation Secretary Emilio Abaya, American expat James Deakin complained over the numerous accidents in the metro attributable to speeding buses and public utility vehicles.

"Install mandatory speed limiters on each and every public or private bus in the country. This is not new technology, nor is it expensive, but it could solve over 90 percent of this problem," Deakin, who is also a motoring columnist for the Philippine STAR, said.

The petitioner explained that the measure is enforced in Europe where most cars use the gadgets limiting speeds to 250 kph. Buses traveling along major highway EDSA should only be allowed to run under 50 kph.

Deakin said that while government has adapted several policies to regulate franchises and protect pedestrians and commuters, accidents still abound and lives have been lost.

"Treat them like the animals that they are and cage them with technology. I’m not trying to generalize by saying every single bus driver is evil and will eventually drive his passengers into a fiery grave, but those that aren’t won’t have a problem with this technology anyway," he said.

The petition also requests that government takes full control over public buses.

"I never thought I would encourage the government to take over anything, but another primary reason that bus drivers speed is because they are 'racing' to the next passengers," Deakin said.

He was referring to the prevalent competition among drivers to take as much passengers as possible to the detriment of order and safety on the road.

"[Drivers] pay the owner of the bus an average of 12-15,000 pesos a day to run the bus, plus the cost of the fuel. Whatever they make on the top of that is their take home pay. This is why they compete like gladiators," Deakin said.