LTFRB gets tough on buses with 'wrap-around' ads

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board this week started clamping down on buses with "wrap-around" ads that conceal virtually the entire vehicle. LTFRB teams apprehended at least 37 air-conditioned buses with such ads along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) Tuesday, radio dzBB reported Wednesday. Drivers caught driving the "offending" buses were told to hand over their licenses, and to remove the buses' license plates, the report added. The LTFRB teams cited a memorandum circular issued in 2009 that required the bus firms to seek permission from authorities before sticking such ads on the buses. A separate report by dzBB's Allan Gatus quoted LTFRB board member lawyer Manuel Iway as saying some bus firms abused the privilege of placing ads on buses by covering the entire bus body with such ads. Iway said that in some cases, the ads had covered even the bus windows and concealed the bus' identifying marks such as the bus name. — LBG, GMA News