George U. Florida Virgilio U. Florida Jr. (also known as Jun Florida)
GV. Florida Transport, Inc., formerly Florida Liner, is a Philippine bus company based in Barangay Matucay Allacapan, Cagayan. Established in 1970 by Virgilio Florida, Sr., the company operates buses to Northern Luzon destinations. Currently managed by brothers George and Virgilio Florida, Jr., and along with Harry D. Florida, Chief Operator Executive, the current municipal mayor of Allacapan, Cagayan.
The company also offers bus chartering services to individuals and corporations.
GV Florida Transport, the first bus company in the Philippines, introduced the Sleeper Bus, a fully reclining bus for long-distance travel..[citation needed]
Etymology
The name of the bus company is derived from the incorporators of the company, the Florida brothers, George Florida and Virgilio Florida Jr.
History
A GV Florida bus, while parked on its motorpool in Sampaloc, Manila.
G.V. FLORIDA TRANSPORT, Inc., founded in 1999 by Virgilio Florida and his son George and Virgilio Jr., is a popular bus company in Cagayan and Quirino provinces. The company offers comfortable and stylish travel experiences with its distinctive flowery livery on pink and buses. Equipped with amenities like reclining seats, air conditioning, and onboard entertainment systems, it ferries goods and passengers from Metro Manila to the Cagayan Valley Region and Ilocos Region, as well as inter-provincial routes.
Early Expansion and Acquisitions
G.V. Florida Transport is expanding its transportation industry presence by acquiring franchises from various bus companies, including F. Franco Transit, B. Trans, Autobus Transportation, Viva Alladin, Ballesteros Bus Line, and Dagupan Bus Company's Cagayan line. This expansion will enhance service offerings and position G.V. Florida Transport as a key player in the sector, offering convenient and reliable travel options for passengers in Baguio (with the acquisition of Autobus' remaining routes), Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Isabela regions.
G.V. Florida Transport is the first Philippine bus company to introduce the "Sleeper Class" with Golden Dragon, Higer, and Hino RM sleeper buses servicing Manila-Cagayan and Manila-Ilocos routes. Meanwhile a sister company as well as subsidiary GMW Florida Trans Inc. (GMW TRANS.) is operated by the other siblings of George and serves Santiago-Cauayan-Tuguegarao-Laoag, Tuguegarao-Baguio via San Jose, Nueva Ecija, Bayombong, and Tuguegarao-Abra via Bantay/Vigan routes.
2011 Expansion and Refleeting
In 2011, GV Florida Transport expanded its fleet by purchasing six units of MAN R39 18.350 for its Super Deluxe fleet and 20 Exclusively Modified PHI Grandeza RM for its Deluxe and Super Deluxe fleets. In 2013, they acquired the DM14 Series with Hino RM chassis for their Deluxe and Super Deluxe fleets.
2014, the "Dark Year" of GV Florida
On the early morning of February 7, 2014, GV Florida experienced one of its darkest years in its history when one of its bus (plate number TXT-872) fell into a ravine in Sitio Pagang, Barangay Talubin in Bontoc. It was carrying 45 people on board. Fourteen people were killed, including one Dutch and one Canadian national, and Filipino comedian & actor Tado Jimenez.[1]The accident occurred due to brake failure, causing the bus to lose control and veer off the road. Rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene to provide medical assistance and transport the injured survivors to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) imposed a 30-day preventive suspension on all of the company's 186 bus units on February 10, 2014, three days after the incident.[2] The incident referred to was a fatal bus accident that resulted in multiple casualties. Later the LTFRB's decided to suspend all of the remaining company's bus units to ensure a thorough investigation and assessment of the company's safety protocols and compliance with regulations.
Recovery, Further Expansion and Contemporary History
After the Supreme Court lifted its suspension, GV Florida returned to service. Recently, in anticipation of future demands of travelling market, GV Florida Transport continues to expand further its fleet with the acquisition of newer and modern bus units such as Higer U-Tour Series, latest batches of Hino RM2P platform featuring modern bus body design such as Hino Grandecho II Series by Hino Motors Philippines Inc. and DM16 Series 1 by Del Monte Motor Works, Inc. as part of Deluxe and Super Deluxe fleet.
It also paved way in acquiring various companies starting the introduction of its newest subsidiary, Transport Pro Services Inc. which primarily service the Ilocos Region. Also, GV Florida strengthened its presence in the inter-provincial routes specially in Cordillera Region with the absorption of St. Joseph Express, GabrielTrans and Fred & Cathy Trans along with GMW Trans to its group of companies. Unlike previous acquissions of the company, these four companies continue to operate alongside the parent company, GV Florida as separate brands.
In addition, GV Florida Transport has also added new buses to their Deluxe and Sleeper Class fleets using Zhongtong buses with custom bodies made by GV Florida Bus Body an in-house body building of GV Florida Transport.
During the 4th Quarter of 2023, as parts of its re-fleeting program, GV Florida Transport expanded its Sleeper bus fleet with the introduction of Scania K series platform and the bus body is built by Del Monte Motorworks, Inc. utilizing the modified DM22T (Scania Touring) bus body design.
Fare class
A GV Florida Super Deluxe unit.
G.V. Florida has employed various types of fare classes across its fleet:
Regular Fare: Seats between 45–50 passengers.
Deluxe Class: Seats between 41 or 45 passengers, 2 LCD TV, with restroom.
Executive Deluxe Class: Seats 41 passengers with more leg room, 2 LCD TV, with restroom (Note: No longer available in favor for Deluxe Class.)
Super Deluxe Class: 2x1 Spacious seats, 29 seaters, 2 LCD TV, with restroom
Sleeper Class: 1x1x1 double decker 35 bunk beds that can be reclined, 4 TV, with restroom. The first company to introduce Sleeper bus in the Philippines.
Audio and Video systems and Airconditioning are standard on all of its buses. On-board toilets were standard on majority of its fleet except the Regular Fare class.
Note: Regular and Deluxe Classes uses pink bus while Super Deluxe and Sleeper Classes uses light blue/purple bus.
Operating fleet
GV Florida Transport buses parked on their motorpool.
G.V. Florida Transport has grown to about 300 buses.
G.V. Florida Transport has its own special numberings on every kind of unit.
F-Series – Regular Fare & 2 unit Deluxe. Korean-made units. (with restrooms).
GD-Series – Golden Dragon XML6127 Marcopolo, DM14 & DM16 Series and GD Marcopolo Replica from Del Monte Motor Works, Inc and Grandeza from Pilipinas Hino (Regular Fare, Deluxe and Super Deluxe).
S and H Series – Composed of Higer, Hino, Scania, and Golden Dragon Sleeper Buses.
KL Series (KL1 and KL2 only) – Composed of their 2 Kinglong Units (Demoted to Deluxe)
J Series – Kia Granbird exclusive fleet numbering (Regular Fare)
001-999 – Regular and Deluxe Fare original series (with restroom)
