The Land Transportation Office (LTO) plans to hold a mass drug test and roadworthiness inspection of public utility vehicles (PUVs) across the country after the road accident on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) that took away lives of 10 citizens.
“We understand the concerns of our kababayan on this matter, that is why the mass drug testing and mass inspection of buses of the Solid North will be replicated to other companies and operators, across the country,” LTO chief assistant secretary Vigor Mendoza II said in a statement.
LTO announced that its Regional Directors have been directed to coordinate with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to implement surprise, random, and mandatory drug testing for all public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers nationwide. This includes motorcycle taxi riders, bus drivers, and truck drivers.
The LTO has tested 740 drivers and conductors from Solid North Transit during inspections at the company’s terminal and office in Cubao, Quezon City. These efforts are part of a broader campaign to improve road safety and prevent similar incidents.
“The instruction of (Department of Transportation) Secretary Vince (Dizon) is clear: we have to make sure that all their drivers and conductors are drug-free before they are allowed to operate,” Mendoza said.
LTO, since then, has revoked the license of the bus driver involved in the fatal multi-vehicle crash on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) after the driver refused to undergo mandatory drug testing.
LTO Chief Vigor Mendoza emphasized that refusal to take a drug test is already grounds for administrative action, saying, “Driving a public utility vehicle is a privilege and a responsibility given to individuals.”
In connection with the same incident, two bus drivers from Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc. also tested positive for illegal drug use. They will undergo confirmatory tests and may face the permanent cancellation of their driver’s licenses and potential criminal charges.
Following the crash, which left 10 people dead, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) ordered the 30-day suspension of Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc.’s operations as part of the government’s intensified crackdown on road safety violations.
After a roadworthiness inspection in Zambales, the DOT confirmed that 46 out of 276 Solid North Buses were compliant with the roadworthiness standards.
