MANILA, Aug 3 (PNA) — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has proceeded with the opening of the qualification documents of interested participants to provide convenient and safe premium bus airport services on Monday.
According to the LTFRB, these services will benefit airline employees and passengers of the three international and domestic terminals.
To date, three interested applicants and corporations namely, Airfreight 2100, JAM Liner, Inc. and Froehlich Tours, Inc., have already submitted legal, financial and technical qualification documents to the Board’s Pre-Qualification Committee.
LTFRB said that one qualified applicant will be selected to apply for franchise to operate more than 40 units of modern airport buses equipped with on-board CCTV, Wi-Fi, on-board automated bus arrival electronic display and announcement system.
Under the requirements, a qualified participant will provide up to 42 airport bus units with 24-passenger seating capacity that will operate from 4 a.m. to 12 midnight and can only pick up passengers on designated off-street stops.
The selected applicant will also have authorized booking office in off-street stops and airport terminals to allow passengers conveniently and easily purchase tickets.
The Board further said that the participant who will be selected is expected to inject up to Php420-million investment to operate the airport bus service similar to airport bus services provided in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Prior to the opening of qualification documents today, a pre-qualification conference was held last July 10 to address technical concerns of the interested participants.
The selected participant is expected to be revealed by the Board on August 10.
LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez, in a statement, said that the opening of qualification documents is only the first of many steps in the process of the Board’s newest services.
“The opening and evaluation of the legal, financial and technical capability of the participants is the first step to determine who will qualify to provide the premium airport bus service,” Ginez said.
“Additional means of transport from airport bus services will provide a huge relief and help to passengers on their way to airports,” he added.
Airport bus routes
LTFRB has identified two airport bus routes: The 24-km Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) – Roxas Boulevard area including Mall of Asia and Entertainment City; and the 18-km NAIA – Makati Central Business District route.
Each route will have two sub-routes, with one serving NAIA Terminal 1 and 2 and the other serving NAIA Terminal 3. Each route variant and sub-route will have no more than five stops, all within the ‘target zone’ to ensure efficient travel times for passengers.
Currently, authorized airport taxi services provide transport service to airline passengers in the three terminals, however, the increasing number of tourist arrivals led the Board to decide to offer travelers alternate and convenient modes of transport. (PNA)