Gov’t, lawmakers also to blame for bus accidents

By Al S. Mendoza

 

(May the birthday of one born on a borrowed barn on Dec. 25 reminds us once more of the goodness and everlasting love of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Merry Christmas!)

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THE government should take much of the blame every time a bus accident happens.

Include the lawmakers.

A weird pronouncement?

Think again, fellers.

The government lacks teeth when it comes to enforcing the law.

There are too many laws to protect our people from abusive bus drivers and operators.

However, many of these laws are hardly enforced.

For example, buses for public transport should always be safe to ride as a requisite before a franchise is issued.

But look at the result of an inspection of many buses belonging to Don Mariano Transit in Metro Manila this week.

Of the 78 or so Don Mariano buses inspected by the LTO (Land Transportation Office) through the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchise Regulatory Board), only four were found fit to travel.

The rest had either broken head lights or shattered glass windows, malfunctioning brake lights or tires that had seen better days, etcetera, etcetera.

The mandatory inspection was an offshoot of a tragedy at the Skyway in Paranaque City that killed 18 passengers when a Don Mariano bus plunged into the service road some 20 feet below in Bicutan.

Witnesses as well as survivors said the bus was speeding at 110kph, an outright violation of the speed limit at the SLEx set at 80kph for buses.

It happened at 5:30 a.m. during a downpour.

The tires were found wanting, their thread virtually gone and, therefore, “balding.”

When tires had gone bald, braking becomes impossible, especially at a fast clip.

This was the third time since 2011 that Don Mariano transit was involved in a fatal accident in Metro Manila.

But through the years, other bus companies had figured in fiery, life-claiming accidents, not only in the metropolis but also in the provinces.

Mostly, accidents are attributed to mechanical breakdowns.

While that may be true, such tragedies are also the handiwork of reckless drivers.

You have a bad bus driven by a hell driver, that’s always a perfect recipe for disaster.

Bad roads due to ineptness and indifference of government also contribute to accidents.

And why are lawmakers to blame, too?

Because, after decades of egging our legislators to make a law mandating a monthly salary for bus drivers, we see the same score: zero.  None.

There are hell drivers because they race at breakneck speed just to pick up passengers, just to produce many trips.

More passengers, more earnings for drivers.

More trips, more money for drivers.

Paying drivers on commission basis abets recklessness.

You pay them monthly salaries, they’d drive safely.

That simple.

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