By Rizal Obanil
If the plan of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) regarding the “new normal” for mass transportation will push through, then bus conductors may soon find themselves jobless.
Metro buses line up in a traffic jam during rush hour morning, along EDSA Quezon City. FILE PHOTO: (MARK BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN)
The DOTr released new guidelines under a general community quarantine that still requires social distancing in public utility vehicles.
In an interview Tuesday over DZMM, Juliet de Jesus, managing director of the Samahan ng Transport Operators ng Pilipinas (STOP) said: “Talagang ayaw na nila ng konduktor because they want the automatic fare system, pero hindi po sigurado ‘yun how we can do it...if it’s possible within a short time.”
(They really don’t want buses to have conductors anymore because they want an automatic fare system. But how can we do it? It remains uncertain it it’s possible within a short time.)
Included in the guidelines that de Jesus’ group received are the implementation of physical distancing, wearing of face masks, disinfection of buses, and automated fare system.
De Jesus said that they will have a meeting with DOTr regarding the possible lifting of the lockdown on May 15.
She said that they plan to emphasize that if they will only be allowed to take 50 percent of the carrying capacity of their PUVs, then they will incur losses in earnings.