DOLE told to check bus drivers’ work conditions

MANILA, Philippines – Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday to look into the working conditions of bus drivers, saying their lack of sleep and rest between long trips could be a key factor in the rash of road accidents.

“The DOLE should ascertain whether the job setting of bus drivers allows them to stay in shape all the time, and that they are not under any extreme mental, physical or economic pressures that may unnecessarily give way to unsafe driving behavior,” he said.

Even the most roadworthy buses could easily become “rolling coffins” if their drivers are exhausted and deprived of adequate sleep and rest, he said.

He added that driving while feeling sleepy and driving after only five hours or less of sleep “have been associated with a significant increase in the risk of a vehicular crash resulting in an injury or death.”

Barzaga earlier introduced Resolution 270, pushing for an inquiry into the spike in deadly road accidents involving passenger buses.

Other congressmen have called for the grant of fixed wages to bus drivers, instead of the present practice of bus operators of giving them and their conductors commissions.

They said the commission system encourages drivers to race against each other for passengers, resulting in accidents.

“The mishaps have become a pressing public safety issue that Congress must look into, and put in check with remedial legislation, if necessary,” Barzaga said.

The Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has suspended the franchises of several bus firms involved in recent accidents that killed 66 people and injured 95 others.

But Barzaga dismissed the suspensions as “delayed reaction” after every road disaster involving a franchised bus operator.

“In accord with its mandate to ensure that the commuters have safe and dependable buses, the LTFRB should be acting ahead to prevent accidents,” he said.

Meanwhile, Barzaga cited the need for the Department of Transportation and Communications to acquire some of the expertise of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). “Right now, our regulators lack the competence and the facilities required to establish the probable cause of transportation accidents,” he said.

The NTSB is America’s independent federal agency charged with determining the probable cause of transportation accidents and promoting transportation safety. The board investigates accidents, conducts safety studies, and makes safety recommendations. –Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star)