The Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) said more buses will be available to accommodate the expected increase in passenger volume throughout the holiday season.
DCOTT Manager Aissa Usop, during the Madayaw Live program on Wednesday, said they have already coordinated with the Southern Mindanao Bus Operators’ Association (SMBOA), which applied for special permits from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), to deploy more buses if necessary.
She said they also coordinated with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to set up a desk at the DCOTT terminal so that buses without special permits could easily obtain one.
“We also coordinated with LTFRB nga magbutang gyud sila og lamesa diha sa atoang DCOTT terminal para anytime, magkulang to’ng gi-request sa ato’ng mga bus operators nga special permits, naa lang gihapon ang atoang LTFRB nga makahatag dayon (We also coordinated with LTFRB to set up a table at our DCOTT terminal so that anytime, if our bus operators are short on special permits, our LTFRB will still be there to provide them immediately),” she said.
Usop also said there has been a surge in the number of travellers returning to their homes for the Christmas season beginning December 13.
She said buses usually have a 30-minute interval, but during this season, a bus can leave once it reaches its full capacity.
“Gihatagan na nato na sila’g pagtugot nga dili nila hutdon ang 30 minutes. Once nga mapuno na ang bus, mularga or mupahawa na sila (We have granted them permission to depart as soon as the bus is full),” she said.
She added that they expect between 50,000 and 70,000 passengers on peak days, with bus journeys increasing from the typical 700–800 per day to approximately 1,000–1,500.
She said passengers must have their baggage inspected first at the entrance of the terminal, while peddlers are not allowed inside the terminal, she added.
“Nanawagan pod ta sa atoang mga pasahero nga pag sila naa’y mga bagahe, diha lang gyud nila ipadala ana’ng ato’ng mga porters nga naka uniform, naa’y I.D., ug aduna’y number at the back of their t-shirt, and they have to remember that number at the back of their t-shirt para og aduna sila’y reklamo, ilahang masumbong sa ato’ng Task Force Davao, CSU, ug mga kapulisan (We also advise our passengers to give their luggage only to our porters who are uniformed, have IDs, and have a number at the back of their t-shirt. They must remember this number so that they can report any complaints to our Task Force Davao, CSU, and the police),” she said.
She also urged Dabawenyos to purchase tickets in advance from online booking sites to secure bus seats.
For more information on online booking, Dabawenyos may follow the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal – FMOD Facebook Page. CIO
