MANILA, Philippines — With the nationwide reopening of schools drawing near, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has issued a stern warning to school transport operators. The regulatory body explicitly ordered school service drivers to strictly enforce a zero-overloading policy and mandate the absolute use of seatbelts for all student passengers.
The timely directive aims to curb the common, highly hazardous practice of packing utility vans and mini-buses past legal limits, prioritizing student safety above operational profits.
The LTFRB’s back-to-school enforcement strategy focuses on two critical, non-negotiable safety pillars designed to protect children during their daily commutes:
[ THE LTFRB SCHOOL SERVICE DIRECTIVES ]
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[ ZERO-OVERLOADING CAP ] [ MANDATORY RESTRICTION ]
• **The Passenger Limit:** School services are prohibited from • **Seatbelt Compliance:** Every single student inside the
allowing more passengers than the vehicle's registered maximum vehicle must be securely buckled into a functional seatbelt
seating capacity. throughout the entire duration of the trip.
• **No "Center Seats":** The dangerous practice of placing loose • **No Standing Policy:** Aisles must remain completely clear
wooden stools, plastic chairs, or unauthorized bench extensions of backpacks and standing passengers to guarantee quick
in the center aisle is strictly illegal. evacuation paths during emergencies.
To ensure operators do not treat these rules as mere suggestions, the LTFRB, in coordination with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), is deploying dedicated roadside inspection teams. Violators will face immediate, heavy administrative penalties:
[ THE GRADUATED PENALTY SCALE ] │ ▼[ First-Offense Fine ] ──► Errant operators face a heavy monetary fine, alongside a formal warning logged against their active Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC). │ ▼[ Second-Offense Suspension ]──► A secondary violation triggers the immediate impounding of the vehicle and a multi-month suspension of their transport franchise. │ ▼[ Third-Offense Revocation ] ──► Persistent non-compliance results in the permanent revocation of the operator's franchise, banning them from running public utility or school transport assets.
Beyond overcrowding and seatbelt compliance, the LTFRB reminded parents and schools to only contract services that hold active, legitimate documentation and undergo routine mechanical maintenance.
| Vehicle Safety Metric | Regulatory Requirement | Operational Inspection Focus |
| Franchise Validation | Must possess a valid Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) specifically registered for school transport. | Color-coded decals and official franchise plates must be prominently displayed on the windshield. |
| Window Security | All side windows must be fitted with protective wire meshes or safety bars. | Prevents children from accidentally extending their hands or heads outside the vehicle while in motion. |
| Mechanical Health | Must successfully clear the LTO’s comprehensive roadworthiness and emission standards. | Routine checking of brake pads, tire thread depth, functional signal indicators, and emergency exit doors. |
The LTFRB strongly urged parents to be highly proactive, advising them to inspect the actual vehicles transporting their children and report non-compliant or reckless drivers directly to the LTFRB hotline. School administrations are likewise instructed to bar unvetted, colorum vehicles from entering campus loading zones. By implementing these strict, early enforcement sweeps, the transport board aims to foster a highly accountable, safety-first school commuting culture—ensuring that every Filipino student arrives at their classroom and returns home to their family without facing preventable road hazards.