- 50% trip ticket fee cut for bus operators mulled over high fuel prices
THE DAVAO City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) is currently evaluating a formal request from bus operators to cut trip ticket fees by 50% and ease logistical expenses due to soaring petroleum prices.
During the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps media briefing held at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday, Sept. 23, DCOTT manager Dr. Aisa Usop confirmed that the local government unit received a request letter from the bus association asking to slash the current ₱200 trip ticket fee down to ₱100 per bus trip.
However, Usop noted that granting the request without amending the existing city ordinance involves an extensive legislative process.
“Aside from the ordinance, when it comes to the Davao City Ordinance, the amount that we can grant the request without amending the city ordinance seems to be a long process. We still need to study that it’s not just that they were affected, although they were affected because of the increase in gasoline,” Usop explained.
Amid the ongoing evaluation, authorities are also looking into potential adjustments in bus dispatching schedules. When asked if trip frequencies might decrease, Usop acknowledged that operators have already resorted to alternative strategies to cope with rising operational costs and manpower constraints.
Instead of entering the terminal, some operators utilize their own controllers to manage departures. “We know that we have this 35- to 40-minute interval when the buses are full; even if the bus is full, they will go. But what they did instead is enter the terminal because they have their own controllers. Because of that strategy, some manpower was affected,” Usop said.
City Hall officials are studying the petition further before making a final decision on the fee reduction.
