BACKBENCHER
Rod P. Kapunan
7/14-15/2012
The paralyzing traffic jam we experience daily could be resolved by compelling bus, and possibly taxi and jeepney, operators to pay wage instead of commission to their drivers and conductors. Fixing their daily wage is well grounded as it is for the safety of the passengers and commuters. It will also ease the traffic snarl that occurs in our major thoroughfares.
Notably, those drivers whose day's earnings depend on the number of passengers they could take, viz. to reach the so-called "boundary" or rent they would remit to the operator to entitle them to a commission, has indeed been pinpointed as the source of most vehicular accidents and cause of unnecessary traffic, and sometimes tempt deceitful conductors to cheat passengers by not returning their change. The proponents argue that it is on that rat-race system to meet the rental mislabeled as "boundary," which on the average is fixed at 9 to 10 percent for the drivers and 7 to 8 percent for the conductors of the bus earnings that turns them into some kind of hell drivers resulting in complete road pandemonium.
Paying drivers their fixed wage could be a possible solution to the irritating problem of buses and passenger vehicles converging at certain intersections all wanting to pick up as many passengers they could. They would not budge an inch to let other vehicles pass, neither would they leave until after all seats have been taken, nor would care if one exasperated passenger is cursing them for being late. In fact, we are the only country in the world that allows commuter vehicles to converge in such strategic choking points and use them as their terminal to pick up passengers. It is on this chaotic situation where corrupt policemen and traffic enforcers take advantage by ignoring the problem all for the "kotong" they receive either from the individual drivers or from the bus operators for the assurance of not being driven away.
Likewise, commuters take the risk to get a ride and agonizingly wait for their bus or jeepney to finally move. For their lack of safety concern in wanting to take their ride, they too contribute to the gridlock and make possible the unwanted vice of tong collection to proliferate. During rush hours, when all are in a hurry to arrive on time, many of them are rather suicidal chasing moving vehicles just to be able to get inside ahead of the rest. Because drivers too are eager to get their quota, they too would not bother to pull their vehicle to the side to avoid blocking the road. It is typical of a dog-eat-dog society.
Besides, the operators of passenger vehicles and their drivers failed to realize vehicles that keep on moving after loading or unloading their passengers conserve more fuel than those that stop and wait to pick up passengers. Those "on the go" are able to save gas up to one third of the consumption compared to vehicles that stop and wait to pick up passengers. Even if those vehicles carry less passengers than those that wait, in the long run they are able to carry more passengers if divided by the number of loops they are able to complete. For instance, if normally they would be able to make an average of seven to eight loops for a 12-hour run, they could only manage an average of five to six loops for the same number of hours with much less passengers, if divided by the loop, and more fuel spent because of their habit to stop and wait to pick up passengers.
Finally, if those bus drivers and conductors are thinking they would earn less if the Department of Labor would insist they be paid on a fixed wage, I say they are dead wrong. This does not mean this column now takes back its original advocacy in wanting to deregulate wage. Rather, in their eagerness to maintain their day's commission ranging from P700 to P800 for the drivers and from P600 to P700 for the conductors, respectively, they overlooked that they drive for an average of 10 to 12 hours. If their commission is divided by the number of hours plus a 25 percent premium for overtime pay for those hours worked beyond the required eight hours work, that would definitely fall below the current minimum of P412 daily.
Most important, drivers and conductors take a rest or are not able to work the next day to complete the six-day a week work. They are only able to work for an average of 4 days a week. If the actual number of days they drive in a week is divided by six their income would dip steeply below the minimum wage. This explains why most bus operators would not care less about the traffic jam and accidents that happen. At the back of their mind, profit is what counts.
The fear that fixing the wage for drivers and conductors would result in them failing to pay the "boundary" with the excess mislabeled as "commission" is capricious and arbitrary. Bus operators must realize that their fixed rental is based on what is profitable, notwithstanding that public utility vehicles is a form of public service vested with public interest. Nonetheless, through time and motion study, the problem could be resolved not to mention that giving our drivers their fixed income would finally relieve us of the serious problem of traffic jam and vehicular accidents caused by crazy drivers racing to meet their commission quota.
(rgkapunan_office@yahoo.com)
Notably, those drivers whose day's earnings depend on the number of passengers they could take, viz. to reach the so-called "boundary" or rent they would remit to the operator to entitle them to a commission, has indeed been pinpointed as the source of most vehicular accidents and cause of unnecessary traffic, and sometimes tempt deceitful conductors to cheat passengers by not returning their change. The proponents argue that it is on that rat-race system to meet the rental mislabeled as "boundary," which on the average is fixed at 9 to 10 percent for the drivers and 7 to 8 percent for the conductors of the bus earnings that turns them into some kind of hell drivers resulting in complete road pandemonium.
Paying drivers their fixed wage could be a possible solution to the irritating problem of buses and passenger vehicles converging at certain intersections all wanting to pick up as many passengers they could. They would not budge an inch to let other vehicles pass, neither would they leave until after all seats have been taken, nor would care if one exasperated passenger is cursing them for being late. In fact, we are the only country in the world that allows commuter vehicles to converge in such strategic choking points and use them as their terminal to pick up passengers. It is on this chaotic situation where corrupt policemen and traffic enforcers take advantage by ignoring the problem all for the "kotong" they receive either from the individual drivers or from the bus operators for the assurance of not being driven away.
Likewise, commuters take the risk to get a ride and agonizingly wait for their bus or jeepney to finally move. For their lack of safety concern in wanting to take their ride, they too contribute to the gridlock and make possible the unwanted vice of tong collection to proliferate. During rush hours, when all are in a hurry to arrive on time, many of them are rather suicidal chasing moving vehicles just to be able to get inside ahead of the rest. Because drivers too are eager to get their quota, they too would not bother to pull their vehicle to the side to avoid blocking the road. It is typical of a dog-eat-dog society.
Besides, the operators of passenger vehicles and their drivers failed to realize vehicles that keep on moving after loading or unloading their passengers conserve more fuel than those that stop and wait to pick up passengers. Those "on the go" are able to save gas up to one third of the consumption compared to vehicles that stop and wait to pick up passengers. Even if those vehicles carry less passengers than those that wait, in the long run they are able to carry more passengers if divided by the number of loops they are able to complete. For instance, if normally they would be able to make an average of seven to eight loops for a 12-hour run, they could only manage an average of five to six loops for the same number of hours with much less passengers, if divided by the loop, and more fuel spent because of their habit to stop and wait to pick up passengers.
Finally, if those bus drivers and conductors are thinking they would earn less if the Department of Labor would insist they be paid on a fixed wage, I say they are dead wrong. This does not mean this column now takes back its original advocacy in wanting to deregulate wage. Rather, in their eagerness to maintain their day's commission ranging from P700 to P800 for the drivers and from P600 to P700 for the conductors, respectively, they overlooked that they drive for an average of 10 to 12 hours. If their commission is divided by the number of hours plus a 25 percent premium for overtime pay for those hours worked beyond the required eight hours work, that would definitely fall below the current minimum of P412 daily.
Most important, drivers and conductors take a rest or are not able to work the next day to complete the six-day a week work. They are only able to work for an average of 4 days a week. If the actual number of days they drive in a week is divided by six their income would dip steeply below the minimum wage. This explains why most bus operators would not care less about the traffic jam and accidents that happen. At the back of their mind, profit is what counts.
The fear that fixing the wage for drivers and conductors would result in them failing to pay the "boundary" with the excess mislabeled as "commission" is capricious and arbitrary. Bus operators must realize that their fixed rental is based on what is profitable, notwithstanding that public utility vehicles is a form of public service vested with public interest. Nonetheless, through time and motion study, the problem could be resolved not to mention that giving our drivers their fixed income would finally relieve us of the serious problem of traffic jam and vehicular accidents caused by crazy drivers racing to meet their commission quota.
(rgkapunan_office@yahoo.com)
