BAGUIO CITY: The operation of provincial buses and vans are expected to resume after Christmas or until operators are ready, said Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
He said all the required inspections of the vehicles that will be allowed to ply the approved routes should have been completed by the Cordillera’s Office of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB-CAR), members of the Baguio City Traffic and Transportation Technical Working Group, and the representatives from the operators.
Magalong stated that the initial arrangements that had been agreed upon will be temporary and can be changed anytime depending on the prevailing situation of the pandemic cases in the city and from places of origin.
Initially, there will be eight buses and vans that will be allowed to enter the city, while there will be unlimited trips going outside of the city depending on the conditions imposed by the local governments in their desired places of destination.
The approved routes include the National Capital Region; Mariveles, San Fernando City, Clark Mabalacat City, Cabanatuan City; Lingayen, San Carlos City and Villasis; and Bontoc.
Further, passengers must present their negative antigen or swab-test results two hours before boarding the buses and vans that will be allowed to ply the different routes.
Talking, eating and drinking during the duration of the travel is highly discouraged.
Buses and vans will be provided with QR codes that will be printed in a short bond paper and posted in the windshield of the vehicles to show that their travel had been authorized by the regulating agency.