Dominion Bus Lines / Times Transit

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About Dominion Bus Lines / Times Transit

Dominion Bus Lines 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).

History

The company was founded from the remnants of the former Times Transit Transportation Co., inherited from his parents by millionaire philanthropist Santiago Rondaris (Timoteo and Estelita Rondaris—where the name "TIMES" came from), which was founded in the 1960s. (Rondaris also once operated the Shooting Star Freight Service alongside Times to answer the freight-moving needs of Ilocos Sur.)

As Times Transit, it operated mostly International Harvester buses (and two wreckers) with the white, green and red livery with illuminated logo on the roof, and a few buses with a green and white paint scheme, with Superior Coach bodies built under license by Manila Motor Works. It had terminals along its route, from Laoag City in Ilocos Norte to Manila, and to Bangued, Abra and Baguio City. It was also known for its then-unique express buses, based on an International-Harvester bus platform and with Superior Coach "Plaxton-Bustler" bodies built under license by Manila Motor Works. It was also known for its terminal at the southern end of Quezon Avenue in its northern headquarters in Vigan with the flashy sign, which was the first and only of its kind back then.

A labor dispute between management and its employees union finally brought the company down in the 1990s. About a year later, MENCORP bought some of the company's assets (including its new air-conditioned Hino, Mitsubishi Fuso and Mercedes Benz buses--their Hino buses in particular are in "Grandtheater" configuration similar to some former St. Joseph and Victory Liner buses) and formed Dominion Bus Lines. As a result its route to Baguio was terminated, while all other routes by Times Transit were maintained. Its main terminal in Vigan is already half the size of its original dimensions, as part of the terminal is now leased to business establishments like a gasoline station and a private school. There was at first animosity between the employees' union of Times Transit and Dominion, often picketing in front of its Vigan terminal in the first few years of Dominion's operations, but later ceased.

Times' terminal, refueling stop, employees' dormitory, and mini-garage in Bantay, Ilocos Sur, which is along the National Highway, which formerly housed one of the most modern garages in the province, is now shut down and is currently occupied by food establishments (after its gasoline station ceased operations ten or so years after the company shut down). It still looks much like it was in its heyday. It is located across the street from where GMW Transit parks its buses in Vigan City.

Viron Transit is a sister company of Dominion Bus Lines.
[edit] Recent Updates

Currently, Dominion Bus Lines utilizes Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi Fuso, and Hino buses - some of which are repowered with a new engine, mostly by Cummins Power Engine (former assets of Times), with a supplanting of King Long buses.

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

Recently, Dominion Bus Lines Acquired Yutong and Daewoo Units.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion_Bus_Lines