Partas

Partas Transportation Co., Inc.

A Partas bus en route to Bangued, Abra, pauses at a rest stop.
Slogan	“We take pride in our courteous and safe drivers.”
Founded	1992
Headquarters	Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines
Service type	Provincial Operation
Fleet	300+ vehicles (MAN, Hino, Nissan Diesel, Mitsubishi Fuso, Golden Dragon, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai), Yutong, Higer, plus one Neoplan Skyliner "Skybus"
Operator	Partas Transportation Co., Inc.

Partas Transportation Co., Inc. is a bus transportation company in the Philippines. It operates a 24/7 service for passengers and freight (known as "waybill") between Metro Manila and northwest Luzon (the Ilocos corridor), with services also running to Baguio City and the Central Luzon plains (Pampanga and Nueva Ecija provinces).

Aside from transportation by bus, Partas also provides limousine service for celebrities and distinguished persons visiting the province of Ilocos Sur.

Etymology

The name "Partas" was derived from the term "SATRAP", an ancient Persian word for "governor" (since Chavit Singson, the owner, served as governor of Ilocos Sur for many years), spelled in reverse,. ("Satrap" also refers to the name of the construction business owned and managed by Partas' owner/operator). "Partas" also sounds like "pardas," an Ilocano term for "being fast" or "speed."

History

Partas traces back its humble beginnings to 1992, a time when Philippine Rabbit and rival Farinas Transit ruled the Ilocos routes; and with millionaire Santiago Rondaris' Times Transit shut down for good due to labor disputes (which later became Dominion Bus Lines); and St. Joseph is sidelined by hard times. Even as a new player in the industry back then, Partas has attracted the riding public with its state-of-the-art buses powered by Nissan Diesel and MAN engines; with the distinctive blue and white livery, and the Roadrunner character from Looney Tunes, their standard emblem, adorning the front and sides of their buses.

Being able to provide safe, fast, and comfortable travel experience for its patrons was Partas' way to winning the choice of many commuters. The company has also seriously enforced cleanliness and good maintenance of its fleet.

Partas is one of two bus companies in the Ilocos Region to have ever fielded a double-decker bus (the other being Farinas).

The principal provincial terminals are at Laoag City (Ilocos Norte), Vigan City (Ilocos Sur), Bangued,(Abra), Baguio City (Benguet) and San Fernando (La Union).

A limited service operates through the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA), located within the Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City, Pampanga.

In Metro Manila, the main hub is at Cubao, Quezon City, which deploys trips to majority of its provincial destinations, except for Baguio City. In addition, trips to Clarkfield, Pampanga are available only through Cubao terminal.

Trips to and from Baguio City (as well as Laoag City and Bangued, Abra) are available via their terminal in Pasay City.

The latest terminal within Metro Manila was opened in Sampaloc district of Manila City. This terminal principally caters to students in Manila's University Belt who hail from Laoag City and Bangued, Abra.

Partas also has inter-provincial trips, running between Baguio City and Vigan City; and Laoag City and Bangued, Abra. Just recently, Partas has started servicing its newest line, which runs from San Jose City in Nueva Ecija up to City of San Fernando, Pampanga, passing through Cabanatuan City, Gapan City and Olongapo City in Zambales.

In April 17,2011 actor AJ Perez was killed when his ABS CBN service van crashed on a Partas Bus along MacArthur Highway in Barangay San Julian, Paniqui, Tarlac While his driver tried to Overtake a trailer truck.

Fleet

As of today, Partas is fielding more or less 300 buses. The expansion of its fleet will be highly anticipated because 100 buses will be added. The reason behind this is that they will be expanding their proximal destination to General Santos City. These buses are an assortment -- from locally made ones to imports. The locals are built by Almazora Motors, Pilipinas Hino, and Del Monte Motorworks, while the imported ones are Golden Dragon and Yutong buses from China, and Universal Space Luxury buses from the Korean manufacturer Hyundai. The management ordered 20 of these and 2 of them are presently on service These buses are equipped with engines built by MAN, Hino, Cummins, Nissan Diesel, Mitsubishi Fuso, and Mercedes-Benz. Just recently, they started to field Yutong buses with a new livery.

Their new buses sport either white livery with red, dark blue and sky blue stripes (Golden Dragon Buses), an image of a running Roadrunner character displayed throughout the length of the bus (some Golden Dragon buses), white with blue lettering and the Roadrunner character (Hyundai buses), or red, blue and white-colored buses (Mercedes-Benz). There is one Golden Dragon bus, with body number 81538, sporting a silver livery with red, dark blue and sky blue stripes. It is considered to be the first Golden Dragon bus in the fleet and the first Chinese-branded bus in the Philippines when it was introduced back in 2004. The Roadrunner character is displayed in almost all of their buses.^[1]

On July 2010, a new livery has been unveiled. The first four buses with this new design are bus numbers 81048, 81068 ,81378 and 81388 providing more interest to target customers for their new interior which were once a bit old among the fleet.

Fare Classes

Partas has employed various fare classes, which are sequenced below from the least to the most priced, yet all are air conditioned

• Ordinary (first generation buses)
• Regular (second-generation buses)
• First Class (newest bus units to date)
• Deluxe (28 or 31-seater buses)

Destinations

Metro Manila

• • Cubao, Quezon City
  • Pasay City
  • Sampaloc, Manila

Provincial

• • Angeles City, Pampanga - Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark Freeport Zone
  • Baguio City, Benguet
  • Bangued, Abra
  • Candon City, Ilocos Sur
  • Carmen, Pangasinan
  • San Fernando City, La Union
  • Sison, Pangasinan
  • Tarlac City, Tarlac
  • Urdaneta City, Pangasinan
  • Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
  • Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

References

1. ^ http://www.flickr.com/photos/8374290@N02/2219810941/in/photostream/