A horrific bus crash that claimed the lives of 14 passengers has resulted in the suspension of all 228 of vehicles in the same company’s fleet.
The bus company in question is GV Florida Transport, and this is the second accident that the country has suffered in the last few months. In the most recent accident, the bus conductor has indicated that the bus had loose brakes. He survived by jumping off of the bus moments before it plunged into a 100-foot deep ravine.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board says that the bus was carrying a license plate that was not its own in order to use it to make money as a vehicle for hire. There were also other problems with the vehicle’s title which indicates that Florida Transport didn’t have a license to use it at all.
The Philippine comedian Arvin “Tado” Jimenez was killed in the crash, along with a musician, an artist and nearly a dozen others. There were 32 injuries including the conductor and the bus driver.
Just over a month ago an equally tragic accident took place when a Don Mariano transit bus tumbled from the Skyway and landed on a van. That accident killed 19 people, and in that accident it was also discovered that the bus was carrying fraudulent licensing and ownership information. At the time the LTFRB indicated that they would begin to pay closer attention and exercise stricter control over the safety of passenger buses.
The suspension of the GV Florida fleet is to last for thirty days and is aimed at allowing time for the LTFRB to thoroughly investigate and see whether the company’s license needs to be completely revoked or cancelled or whether a suspension is in order. The license that the bus was carrying had actually been issued to a bus from the Mountain Province Cable Tours Company, which has also been issued a suspension order. That company only operates ten vehicles.
The suspension order provides both companies with 72 hours in which they can submit reasons why their operating licenses should not be suspended. They have also been given notice of a required appearance at a public hearing into the issue. Failure to appear will not delay the case – it will only act as a waiver allowing decisions to be made based on the existing records.