Partas
Partas Transportation Co., Inc. is a bus transportation company in the Philippines. It operates a 24/7 service for passengers and freight (known as "waybills") between Metro Manila and northwest Luzon (the Ilocos corridor), with services also running to the Cordilleras in Baguio, Bangued, Abra, and also running to the south including Occidental Mindoro and Bicol Region in Naga City. Partas also offers chartered service for tour groups. Etymology. The name "Partas" was derived from the term "Satrap", an ancient Persian language word for "governor" (since Luis Chavit Singson, the owner, served as governor of Ilocos Sur for many years ), spelled in reverse or palindrome. "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 was founded on July 25, 1989 and started its operations in 1991, a time when Philippine Rabbit and rival Fariñas 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 was sidelined by hard times. Partas Bus Lines, as a company, was incorporated by  Luis Chavit Singson and Rolito Go at Laoag (Ilocos Norte). 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 Road Runner character from Looney Tunes, their standard emblem, adorning the front and sides of their buses. Partas is one of two bus companies in the Ilocos Region to have ever fielded a double-decker bus (the other being Fariñas). The principal provincial terminals are at Laoag, Vigan, Candon, Bangued, Baguio , San Fernando, La Union, and, starting in 2014, a sub-station in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. In Metro Manila, the main hub is at Cubao, Quezon City, which deploys trips to majority of its provincial destinations, except for Baguio City. Trips to and from the majority of its provincial destinations, except for Baguio City, are available via their terminal in Pasay. One of the latest routes added to Pasay terminal is Pasay to Pagudpud, and vice-versa. The latest terminal within Metro Manila was opened in Sampaloc district of Manila City. This terminal principally caters to goods traders in Binondo and  Divisoria district of Manila, and students in Manila's University Belt who hail from Laoag City, Bangued, and Pagudpud. Partas also has inter-provincial trips in Northern Luzon, running between Baguio City, Vigan, Laoag, Bangued and San Fernando, La Union. Fleet. Partas operates around 300 buses. These buses are an assortment—from locally-manufactured to imports. The locally-manufactured buses are built by Del Monte Motor Works using chassis and engine from MAN and Hino; while imported buses included Golden Dragon (select models) and Zhongtong from China. The list includes: Former: Branding. Livery. The company's official logo is Road  Runner which is displayed, either standing or running, on most buses, with the name 'PARTAS' written in capital letters. All buses vary in livery design, but are predominantly blue (light and dark), red and white. Fleet numbering. The buses are numbered with 4 or 5 digits, with the number 8 being placed on the first and last digit (e.g. 8**8 and 8***8). Fare classes. Partas has employed various fare classes, which are sequenced below from the least to the most priced. All buses include air-conditioning. They also operate express buses, with only one stopover.