Prior to the lockdown, we were still able to conduct one fieldwork for a provincial bus terminal located in the Cubao district of Quezon City. We had previously conducted a study for the re-design of this terminal and the company again called on us for an update after they were not able to implement the previous study’s recommendations.

You can purchase your tickets at the terminal

Different model buses waiting for their boarding times

The passenger waiting lounge has indoor and outdoor seating.

The terminal has its own fuel pumps so buses need not go to a fuel station.

Bus parking slots are marked but there is little space between buses. The fishbone pattern parking allows for each bus’ door (front) to be accessible as shown in the second photo of this post.

Another view of the terminal’s bus slots. The ones further in the photo are actually across the street from the terminal.

Passengers lining up to purchase tickets at the terminal lobby. The boxes are consigned freight.

The air-conditioned passenger lounge includes shops for meals, refreshments or souvenirs.

Here are the bus slots across the street from the terminal. That’s an informal tricycle terminal on the left. While off-street, the tricycle terminal occupies what little sidewalk is there that is supposedly for pedestrian use.

Taxi passing along the street as tricycles maneuver from their terminal on the sidewalk.

Fuel tankers are allotted slots at the terminal as they deliver fuel for the terminal’s pumps.

Another private provincial bus terminal across from the Partas terminal. This one’s from the resurrected BLTBCo. (now DLTRBCo.) buses that ply routes to Region 5 (Bicol) and Region 8 (Eastern Visayas via ferry between Sorsogon and Leyte).

Line 2 train traveling atop Aurora Boulevard. The Partas terminal is on the left with cars parked on the sidewalk and curbside.

I think this was the last project when we did fieldwork for before the lockdowns. I wonder when we can do field work again. Transport and traffic are not the usual and the “new normal” in transportation is still evolving especially in Metro Manila.

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