THERE IS no specific date yet for the operation of ten new 12-meter, low-floor modern bus units pending necessary documentary requirements, an official of Davao Bus Project said Tuesday.
Initially, the city planned to roll out the buses in mid-November.
However, the office emphasized they are fast-tracking the necessary documents to ensure the safety of passengers.
In an interview with Davao City Disaster Radio, Atty Tristan Dwight Domingo, Davao Bus Project manager, said the 22 drivers trained to run the buses are yet to be “fully onboard.”
“Wala pa mapa onboard ang 22 ka drivers. Ang pinaka-onboarding lang nila is nakita nila ang bus, na familiarize sa pindoton, amenities, rampa,” Domingo said.
But in terms of actually driving it on the road, they have yet to start, as the office continues to secure their registration and insurance before they can operate.
“Modagan sya is in the service of a lot of people, so we need to ensure that our units are also insured,” he added.
Also, the 22 drivers still need to pass a rigorous assessment.
“As soon as they are able to pass the assessment, that will be the day they will be confident enough to certify that they are worthy to service the passengers,” he said.
Aside from training the drivers, the city will also onboard the administrators of the fleet management system.
While the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) already provided authority, there are certain requirements the city must submit to the regional office.
Domingo said the documentary requirements are set to be completed this week, as the drivers’ and guards’ training requested by LTFRB was completed last week.
The target routes for the DC Bus are nine routes so that every resident can utilize the buses, considering the peak hours and volume of passengers.
Routes include Toril, Mintal, Buhangin, Milan, and Sasa, while a full list will be published following the completion of requirements from the LTFRB.
The free bus service will focus on peak hours, specifically from 6 a.m. to around 9:30 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
