In my experience as a commuter, it has been quite rare to find talkative bus drivers and conductors. Most of the talk I usually hear come from fellow passengers, or noise from smartphones desperately needing earphones.

But in this particular bus ride, we passengers near the front were hearing the driver and conductor, loud and clear. We just politely listened.

Commuters that we are, we were surprised about their complaint: back to back trip schedules that deny them any rest. They were incensed that such frenetic schedules have gone beyond the usual peak season. Sometimes for 10 straight days or more.

To their credit, the driver and conductor were not complaining about the seemingly endless travel of commuters. That's good for the company's business, and is a public service transport workers like then would gladly serve.

But when scheduling by the company would give them less than an hour of rest between the "vice versa" trips, the driver and conductor said that's needlessly backbreaking.

For me, that's dangerous to their health, and even perhaps to the riding public.

Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon should also look into the working conditions of drivers and conductors, on top of the routes, terminals, and other infrastructure he has chosen to focus on.

Apart from occupational health and wellbeing, Secretary Dizon should check job security, contracts, and benefits of mass transport workers. He should not oppose and instead encourage unions among transport workers, to protect their rights vis-a-vis transport business owners.

In the past few months, we have witnessed terrible incidents involving provincial buses, all of them privately-owned. The suspension of the erring companies is welcome, but perhaps not enough. The good secretary should check our transport workers and the quality of work they are made to render.

Skeds and fare matrices

The DOTr should also press all transport operators to display prominently their schedules and matrix of fares, at terminals and stations, and on their respective websites and social media. They should also include in the matrices the discounted rates for students, seniors and PWDs.

This might sound too basic, too simple. But this is not being done, and we don't understand why they do not. Posting complete and accurate schedules and fare information would help commuters, and keep the companies in check for their promises.

LRT1, LRT2 and MRT3 have been able to show fare matrices. The bus companies should replicate such practice.

Some bus companies (not all!) have published departure schedules. This is something the LRT1, LRT2 and MRT3 should be able to do.

Consult commuters

Secretary Dizon is already able to think a lot and take action based on his visits, inspections, and checks of operations.

He should unleash public involvement by holding public consultations in Metro Manila and especially the provinces.

I'm sure he will get important insights and good ideas from commuters themselves on how to improve the daily commute. He cannot afford to just talk to transport business owners, and to Big Business titans specializing on big-ticket infrastructure projects.

It is not just Secretary Dizon

We should all promote commuter representation and commuter rights advocacy. It would be awesome to have commuter organizations or movements that would keep tabs on public mass transport policy, rein in on private sector abuses, promote safety, encourage companies to provide company buses for employees, and demand free public mass transport especially at the local levels.

The private car companies have their industry organization and lobby groups. Same with private transport companies. Big businessmen are said to have a direct line to policy makers. Commuters should organize and self-organize as well so our concerns would be heard and we get a seat at the table of transport policy formulation.

We commuters would have allies and partners in the transport workers unions. Just imagine, in future bus rides, we commuters, drivers and conductors could talk about common concerns and cooperate in common action.

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