Colorum buses spoil passengers' New Year's Eve plans

Passengers who were hoping to get to their homes in the provinces for New Year's Eve were, on Wednesday, forced to disembark and find another way to get home after the buses they were on were found to be colorum vehicles.

GMA 7 news program “24 Oras” reported that a Dimple Star Transport bus was prevented from leaving at the Araneta Bus Terminal in Quezon City after Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) officials discovered that the bus was a colorum vehicle.

It was also discovered that the bus-driver had been arrested last Christmas Eve, also for driving a colorum unit.

The LTFRB said the bus was not immediately impounded during the first offense as there was no official from the Land Transportation Office present at the time.

But on Wednesday, LTFRB Board Member Atty. Ariel Inton said the bus company faced stiff penalties, including the possible cancellation of its franchise.

“May ebidensiya naman kami na walang special permit ito so fine ito ng P1 million. Second offense, hindi lang yun, medyo nabibilang na ang araw ng prangkisa nito,” he said.

Aside from the Dimple Star Transport bus, 3 other buses were also discovered to be colorum vehicles, including units from the Valisno Express and United Land Transport.

Authorities are expecting the Araneta Bus Terminal to serve a total of 12,000 passengers by the end of Wednesday. — Andrei Medina/DVM, GMA News