Solons bat for online booking to ease bus terminal congestion during holiday rush
Two lawmakers have called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to require all provincial bus companies to offer online booking services to ease congestion at terminals whenever the seasonal exodus to the provinces comes around.
Quezon Rep Reynante Arrogancia, vice-chair of the House committees on transportation and public order and safety, pointed out that purchasing bus tickets ahead of time would be a practical solution to decongest the bus stations during peak seasons.
He said commuters should be encouraged to buy tickets early so they can avoid long queues, noting that some bus companies offer online booking options, but most still did not offer the service and only had “traditional over-the-counter transactions.”
“The lack of online booking options in some bus companies can inconvenience travelers, especially during peak seasons when queues at ticket counters become excessively long,” Arrogancia said.
“Because of this, there is a need to require all bus operators to implement online ticketing systems as an option for passengers to improve services and ease congestion at terminals,” he stressed.
He emphasized that “for the convenience of passengers, the DoTr should require all bus lines to have an option of advance online booking and payment of bus tickets.”
According to the lawmaker, advance online booking benefits passengers by giving them peace of mind by knowing they already have a ticket and a guaranteed seat on the bus.
“It also works to the advantage of bus companies, enabling them to better predict passenger volumes and allocate the necessary buses and drivers for operations. Ultimately, this leads to smoother and hassle-free terminal operations,” he said.
Arrogancia also proposed adding the option to pay terminal fees online or through electronic cash wallets, pointing out that this will save travelers the need to queue over the counter at stations.
Smoother and more convenient trip
On Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III also suggested that the DOTr should mandate bus companies to fully implement online booking systems to reduce congestion at terminals during the holiday rush.
Pimentel said that while many bus companies have already adopted online ticketing systems, others still rely solely on over-the-counter transactions.
“We have always wanted every Filipino to have a smoother and more convenient trip. Online booking is one of the ways we can achieve this,” Pimentel said in a statement.
Pimentel made the call as the estimated seven million Filipinos began to flock to the country’s passenger terminals and seaports to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays with their families.
But even though some bus companies have begun to allow online booking, the system remains fraught with flaws, according to passengers.
Passengers reported issues with the reliability of the online booking system, bugs on the online platforms, and limited payment options.
Pimentel cited the benefits of advance online booking: “Traveling becomes more convenient if we set up an online booking system. It will be a great help to passengers, especially during these holidays.”
The senator also suggested that the DOTr explore the possibility of requiring online payment for terminal fees.
“This will help to avoid long queues at the terminal counters,” he said.
