Bonifacio Transport Corporation

Bonifacio Transport Corp., or more commonly known as BGC Bus or formerly The Fort Bus, is an intercity bus company in Metro Manila, Philippines operated under Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation (FBDC), an affiliate company under Ayala Corporation, one of the largest conglomerate company established during the Spanish era. It plies routes from Ayala Center to Bonifacio Global City via McKinley Road.

This bus company was regarded as the first non-EDSA Metro Manila bus that traverses from one business district to another.

History

Founded in 1998, Bonifacio Transport Corp. was established under Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation (FBDC). It was formed through the use of 24 buses –- 10 of which are Mercedes-Benz buses and the rest are Nissan Diesel units—for internal transport system to and from Bonifacio Global City and Ayala Center.^[1][2]

In 2008, the Mercedes-Benz O 500 M 1725 buses were launched by FBDC. Six coaches were used first for the said route, just like some of the buses used in other countries like United Kingdom or Turkey. Later, there were additional 14 buses of the same model to sustain the need of the passengers of the bus.^[3][4][5]

In the same year, HM Transport Inc. and Bonifacio Transport Corp. signed an agreement, allowing the use of some buses to ply at Bonifacio Global City; thus, it gave an opportunity to extend route up to Market! Market! in Taguig City as its terminal via EDSA and Kalayaan Avenue but this was only operates every weekdays.^[6]

Fleet

Bonifacio Transport Corp. utilizes and maintains Nissan Diesel (now UD Trucks), Daewoo and Mercedes-Benz buses, with a total of roughly 50 or 60 buses, and the planned BYD electric buses on March 7 to 11, 2014.

• Nissan Diesel
  • SR Exfoh

• Daewoo Bus Corporation
  • Daewoo FDIC BF105

• Mercedes-Benz
  • DMMC Aero Extreme
  • AMC Tourist Star

• BYD Auto
  • BYD K9 (delivered on March 7–11, 2014)

• UD Trucks
  • SR PKB (delivered on March 7–10, 2014)

Routes

For easier accessibility, Bonifacio Transport Corp. has made a series of routes for passengers going to and from Bonifacio Global City and Ayala Center, as follows:^[7][8][9]

1. Fort Bus Terminal (SM Makati, Ayala MRT Station) - main terminal, near EDSA Ayala MRT Station
2. Straight to McKinley Road passing by Sanctuario de San Antonio and Manila Polo Club
3. Straight to McKinley Parkway passing by St. Regis Tower, Singapore Embassy
4. Left at 24th Street
5. Right at 5th Avenue
6. Left at 26th Avenue (One Global Place, Hyundai Global City Hub)
7. Right at Rizal Drive (Net One, McDonald's)
8. Left at 31st Street (Chowking, Parking Lot)
9. Right at 2nd Avenue (Sapphire Residences, Grand Hampton's Tower)
10. Right at 32nd Street (Bonifacio Technology Center, Global City Innovative College)
11. Right at McKinley Parkway(Serendra, Market! Market!)
12. Left at 26th Street
13. U-turn at 26th Street (Parking Lot)- the end point route
14. Right at 5th Avenue (The Embassy, The Fort Strip)
15. Left at 32nd Street (32nd & Fifth)
16. Left at Rizal Drive
17. Right at 31st Street (Bonifacio E. Services Bldg)
18. Left at 2nd Avenue (Sapphire Residences, Grand Hampton's Tower)
19. Pass by the Burgos Circle and into 29th Street
20. Right at Rizal Drive (Forbeswood Heights)
21. Left at 26th Street (Net One, McDonald's)
22. Right at 5th Avenue (One Global Place, Hyundai Global City Hub)
23. Left at 24th Street
24. Right at McKinley Parkway
25. Straight to McKinley Road passing by St. Regis Tower, Singapore Embassy
26. Straight to Ayala Avenue passing by Sanctuario de San Antonio and Manila Polo Club
27. Back to Fort Bus Terminal (SM Makati)

Operations

Bonifacio Transport Corp. operates 24/7 as of today. The trip may be 10–15 minutes, depending on the traffic and stops. Most of the passengers of the bus company were those working at call centers erected in Bonifacio Global City and nearby areas at Ayala Center.^[10]

References