THE Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) is anticipating a massive volume of passengers.
This prompted it to request the association of passenger buses and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory board in case additional buses are needed to ferry those who want to leave the city during the long weekend.
Aisa Usop, DCOTT manager, said Friday over the Davao City Disaster Radio on Friday, said that she has asked the Southern Mindanao Bus Operators Association to ready their buses in case more are needed to address the influx of passengers who are expected to troop to the terminal.
“Gi-coordinate napud nako ni sa LTFRB Davao, giingnan nako nga kung pwede ang atong bus operators hatagan sila og special permit in advance aron kung mubyahe sila naka-ready na ang ilahang permit,” Usop said.
She said that while no bus company has signified any intention of not operating on November 1, based on the usual practice, the number of buses depends on the volume of passengers.
“Kung wala’y pasahero ang drivers muuli napud na sila, that is why i-inform nato ang mga byaheros nga musayo sayo gyud sila diri sa atoang DCOTT terminal aron makita pud nga ubay-ubay ang pasahero aron pud nga ma-ready ang atong mga buses,” she said.
The expectation, however, is that more passengers are expected to leave the city to take respite in their hometowns especially as restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been loosened.
“Kung sauna muabot tag 1,000 pataas to 1,500 karon, we are expecting 1, 500 pataas to 2,000 bus trips a day. That is equivalent to 85,000 to 100,000 passengers,” Usop said.
On Friday, law enforcers implemented “Oplan Harabas” by holding a surprise mandatory drug test of drivers for any public utility vehicle at the terminal and at the Gaisano Mall termina.
This is to prevent road accident and was held in coordination between the terminal, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the government land transportation agencies.
