The Board has received complaints that some public utility buses with denomination of Shuttle Transport Service are operated as regular public buses.  Such operations violate the conditions of their Certificates of Public Convenience (CPC) granted to them and, hence, illegal.  The Board has also observed that some CPC holders are granted two (2) or more franchises authorizing them to serve provincial and Metro Manila operations. Said authority makes the operators interchange their units without this Board's approval.

It is, therefore, the duty of this Board to curb these kinds of operations, and to maintain and foster fair competition in the transport industry for efficient public service.

In view thereof and pursuant to the regulatory powers of this Board, the following guidelines are hereby promulgated for the information and guidance of all concerned, to wit:

"All affected operators:

(1) who are authorized to operate Shuttle buses;
(2) who are authorized to operate regular public utility buses and also authorized to operate shuttle buses; and,
(3) who are granted with separate Certificates to serve Provincial and Metro Manila Operations, are hereby ordered to submit their proposed color scheme for their units for proper identification of their authorized service within thirty (30) days from effectivity of this Circular; thus, the color scheme for each of their authorized service shall be different from the others.  Such specific denomination (Shuttle Bus Service, Metro Manila Operation, and Provincial Operation) shall be painted on all sides of the unit with 12x6 inches (height and width) lettering, in addition to the color scheme.  The Board shall inspect all units subject in items 1-3 within three (3) months from the approval of the proposed color scheme and identification mark."

Failure to comply with the above directive shall be a cause for the cancellation of franchise after due notice and hearing.

All other issuances or parts hereof, which are inconsistent herewith, are therefore modified or superseded accordingly.

This Circular shall take effect fifteen (15) days following the filing of three (3) copies hereof with the UP Law Center, pursuant to Presidential Memorandum Circular No. 11, dated 09 October 1992.

SO ORDERED.

Adopted: 30 Sept. 2004


(SGD.) MARIA ELENA H. BAUTISTA
Chairperson

(SGD.) FELIX S. RACADIO
Board Member>