DOTR suspends 15 Florida buses following viral 'racing' video
The Department of Transportation has suspended 15 buses operated by GV Florida Transport Inc. for 30 days after a viral video surfaced showing the vehicles speeding along a highway in Nueva Vizcaya.
The video, which user Carlo Carbonel uploaded on June 8, captured six GV Florida buses speeding and overtaking smaller vehicles on the Diadi-Cordon Road.
"Ginawang race track ng mga hari ng daan ang Diadi - Cordon road. 6 Florida bus po 'yan nasa likod lang yung dalawa humahabol," the caption read.
As the video went viral, which as of writing garnered more than 10 million views, Carbonel further explained in a separate post that his intention was not to damage the company's reputation or profit from the video after facing accusations of editing the footage to make it seem like the buses were racing.
"Pinost ko po yung video hindi po para siraan ang GV Florida o para kumita ng pera dahil hinde naman po ako vlogger. Ang gusto ko lang sana is mabigyan ng leksyon ang mga driver ng bus na hindi iniisip ang safety ng mga pasahero at mga nakakasabay nila sa daan," he wrote.
"Ilang beses narin akong sinalubong ng mga yan sa bundok wala kana magawa kundi pumagilid nalang dahil naka-bwelo sila at ikaw nalang talaga iiwas sa disgrasya kaso pa'no yung mga hindi makaka-iwas [sorry] nalang?" Carbonel further explained.
While the bus company has apologized for the incident, Transport Secretary Vince Dizon rejected it, stating the importance of road safety.
"Hindi porket walang nasaktan, walang nadisgrasya eh ganon ganon na lang. I saw the statement and apology of the Florida Bus Co. and I'm telling them now: 'Apology not accepted,'" the chief said in a statement.
Dizon continued, "Kung inisip nyo na hindi seryoso ang Pangulo at ang DOTr, malalaman nyo ngayon na nagkakamali kayo. Mensahe din namin ito sa lahat ng PUV companies: kapag ginawa ninyo ito, mabigat ang magiging consequence ng ginawa ninyo."
According to DOTr, these suspended buses have a route from Sta. Ana to Sampaloc, Cagayan and Baguio to Apayao.
The Land Transportation Office also suspended the license of the drivers involved in the incident for 90 days. The bus company's drivers were also asked to undergo mandatory drug tests.
"Sa mga driver ng bus na iyon, mahirap mawalan ng trabaho ngayon. Pero dahil sa kalokohan na ginawa ninyo, 90 days wala kayong trabaho at pag nahuli namin ang Florida Bus Co. na pinapamaneho pa ang mga drivers na iyon, pasensyahan tayo," Dizon added.
