Metro Manila sees shortage of bus drivers

Fewer buses were seen in Metro Manila due to a shortage of drivers despite public transportation almost returning to normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Joseph Morong’s reported Tuesday on “24 Oras.”

The Mega Manila Consortium Corporation (MMCC), a group of bus operators in Metro Manila, said there were only a few public buses seen in the region.

“Ang deployment, hindi talaga yung expected (The deployment was not what was expected),” MMCC internal affairs Juliet De Jesus said.

“Marami na kaming mga paskil na ‘for hire’, ‘wanted driver’ pero hirap pa rin kami. Maaring yung iba dyan napunta sa trucking, medyo malaki kita dyan (We have many 'for hire', 'wanted driver' posters but we are still struggling. Maybe the others went into trucking, the salary is big there),” De Jesus said.

The shortage of buses along the roads of Metro Manila will continue if the lack of drivers will not be solved.

“Even provincial bus operators kulang din sila sa driver. Yung mga nakuha namin mga permit hindi namin ma-deploy 100% dahil kung sino lang yung driver na dumating, yun lang yung pwede namin i-deploy,” De Jesus said.

(Even provincial bus operators lack drivers. Even though we have the permits, we can't deploy 100% of our buses because we can only deploy buses depending on who comes to work.)

GMA Integrated News is still seeking comment from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on the issue.

However, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said truck operators were also experiencing a shortage of drivers.

“Karamihan dun sa mga drivers nila ay pina-pirate na ng other countries yun daw mga drivers can make up to P200,000 a month,” Bautista said.

(Most of their drivers have been pirated by other countries, they say those drivers can make up to P200,000 a month.)

Meanwhile, several commuters found themselves spending a lot of time waiting for buses along the roads of Metro Manila.

"Parang ngayon lang po nangyari yan karaniwan naman po pag pupunta po ako dito may bus na po agad,” student Vernalyn Campos said.

(This has been happening lately. Usually, when I get here, there is a bus right away.)

“Wala halos wala eh. Madalang ang daan (Nothing, almost nothing. Only a few buses),” commuter Rio Saing said.

“Unusual po sya. Nag-opt po ako na magbus dahil mas mura po (It's unusual, I opted to ride the bus because it's cheaper),” student Gabrielle Mithi Amarillo said. — Richa Allyssa Noriega/DVM, GMA Integrated News