Victory Liner, Inc., is one
of the largest and pioneer bus companies in the Philippines
today.
"Victory Joe" — origin of the name Victory Liner
The phrase "Victory Joe", reminiscent of America's victory in the
World War II became a household word.
Since Hernandez's first name is Jose, the English version of which
is "Joe", Mr. Hernandez thought that Victory Liner would be a
catchy name for his enterprise and so he adapted it.
History
Founded by
Mr. Jose I. Hernandez, a pre-war
mechanic, he collected bits and pieces of machinery, metals and
spare parts from abandoned
U.S.
Military vehicles. He intended to
build a delivery truck from scratch for his family's buy and sell
business of rice, corn, vegetables and their home-made laundry
soap.
Upon completion of the truck, he was surprised to see that what he
envisioned to be a delivery truck turned out to be more like a
bus.
On October
15, 1945, Mr. Hernandez's first bus plied the Manila
-Olongapo
-Manila
line. He was the driver and Leonardo D. Trinidad (a
brother-in-law) was his conductor.
1960s
Victory Liner pioneered in the conversion of front engine buses and
the use of steel-bodied buses. In the late 1960s,the company
adapted the use of
diesel engines for
its growing fleet.
1970s
Victory Liner provided the riding public with air-conditioned
provincial bus service, a novelty at that time. It was also the
first bus company to institute the queuing system for orderly
boarding of buses.
1980s
Victory
Liner was the first to use the automatic transmission (the General Motors, Allison
Transmission
automatic transmission) for its buses, and the use
of television and video facilities in its buses. Also,
during this decade the company embarked on an aggressive training
program for its drivers, conductors, and mechanics on proper road
safety, customer service, and bus maintenance. The company started
expanding its franchise routes as well.
1990s – present
The emergence of new bus terminals in strategic locations in Metro
Manila.
It
has maintained stability amidst setbacks resulting from the 1990
earthquake, the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo
, the 1992 withdrawal of U.S Military Bases, the 1995 heavy
lahar flows, and the high borrowing cost that
crippled the country’s economy since July 11, 1997 de facto
devaluation , all of which adversely affected its main
routes.
Also, today, Victory Liner is now utilizing
Hyundai,
King Long,
Nissan,
MAN,
Hino,
Isuzu & recently
Daewoo &
Yutong
buses.
Though times are harder than it was 50 years ago, the company is
continuously undertaking an aggressive computerization program of
its systems along with the ongoing modernization and upgrading of
its bus fleet and facilities.
In 2005, the 6000 series was launched on its 60th
anniversary.
The Company was passed to the son of Mr. Hernandez, Johnny
Hernandez
In 2007, Victory Liner introduces a Deluxe class, Available only in
Baguio and Tuguegarao trips.
Victory Liner is now also a sister company of
FiveStar
Sta. Lucia Express or SLEx, along with Martinez Trans were
purchased by the Hernandez Group which consist of Victory Liner,
Five Star Bus Company, and Bataan Transit(A joint venture project
of Philippine Rabbit Bus Lines and Victory Liner) During the early
2008. It was purchased by Carl Kieruf, the son of the General
Manager of Victory Liner. According to reports the management of
the Sta. Lucia Express and Martinez Trans was transferred to Five
Star which provided its Euro Bus. Victory Liner contributed Hyundai
Aero bus as an addition to its fleet after it had supplied Bataan
Transit the same unit. Moreover, the Five Star management aims to
dissolve entirely the Martinez Trans brand name this October 2009.
Martinez Trans will be operated by Sta. Lucia Express
entirely.
Fleet
Current Fleet
(*)Formerly Grandtheater units. These 2 units are revived and
refurbished last 1st Quarter of
2007.
- MAN
- 18.232
- 16.290
- 18.310
- 18.280
Past Fleet
(**)2 of the model are revived and refurbished last 1st Quarter of
2007.
Recent Incidents
- On
November 30, 2006, at about 4:30 pm (16:35), a Victory Liner
air-conditioned bus, with body number 1565, exploded and burned at
the Olongapo
City
terminal after arriving from Pasay City
. A bomb inside a box left by one of the
passengers detonated, instantly killing the bus conductor. Luckily,
the passengers had just disembarked from the bus when the bomb
exploded. The driver also narrowly escaped when he got off the bus
to report to the dispatcher. Some bystanders were also injured by
the blast and suffered burns. The Olongapo City Fire Department
responded immediately and doused the flames from the burning bus.
Olongapo City Mayor James "Bong" Gordon also
responded to the scene together with the police and medical teams.
The New People's Army was
suspected responsible for the bombing because the company was not
able to pay revolutionary taxes.
- On
June 8, 2007, a Victory Liner air-conditioned bus was robbed in
San Miguel,
Bulacan
by armed robbers. Three people were killed
as a result. The robbers disembarked at Gapan City
and escaped. The Victory Liner bus with body number 644
was from the Kamias Terminal in Quezon City
and was en route to Banaue, Ifugao
.
- On December 27, 2007, a Victory
Liner air-conditioned bus headed to Baguio City collided with a
FiveStar Ordinary fare bus headed back to
Manila. The passengers were taken to a nearby
hospital in Tarlac
.
- 10 armed men burned 5 buses on May 22,
2008, in its Cubao, Quezon City’s
terminal.
List of passenger terminals
Destinations
- Alicia, Isabela

- Alaminos City, Pangasinan

- Angadanan, Isabela

- Apalit
, Pampanga
- Bagbag, Bulacan

- Baguio City, Benguet
(with Deluxe trips)
- Balanga City
, Bataan
(From
Olongapo City only)
- Banaue, Ifugao

- Bolinao, Pangasinan

- Calumpit
, Bulacan
- Cauayan City
, Isabela
- City of San Fernando,
Pampanga
- Dagupan City
, Pangasinan
- Guagua, Pampanga
- Iba, Zambales

- Ilagan, Isabela

- Lingayen, Pangasinan
- Lubao, Pampanga
- Mabalacat
, Pampanga (Dau Bus Terminal)
- Malolos City
, Bulacan
- Manaoag, Pangasinan

- Piat, Cagayan

- Olongapo City (Note: selected trips from
Olongapo to Baguio, Caloocan, Cubao and Pasay Terminals (vice
versa) go via Dau-SCTEx instead of the usual
San Fernando (NLEx)
exit)
- Roxas, Isabela

- Santa Cruz, Zambales

- San Mateo, Isabela
- Santiago City
, Isabela
- Sison, Pangasinan

- Tabuk City, Kalinga

- Tarlac City
, Tarlac
- Tuao, Cagayan

- Tuguegarao City
, Cagayan (with Deluxe trips)
Former destinations
Inter-Provincial Destinations
- Dagupan City - Tabuk City, Kalinga
- Dagupan City - Iba, Zambales
- Baguio City - Dagupan City, Pangasinan
- Baguio City - Bolinao, Pangasinan (via Alaminos)
- Baguio City - Olongapo City, Zambales
- Olongapo City - Dagupan City, Pangasinan (via Iba and Sta.
Cruz, Zambales)
- Olongapo City - Balanga City, Bataan (via Dinalupihan)
- Olongapo City - San Felipe, Zambales (seasonal)
- Santa Cruz, Zambales - Baguio City, Benguet
References
- Friendster - Group Main Tab - Victory Liner
- Gma, Pamunuan ng Victory Liner, ikinagulat ang
panununog sa mga bus nila, 05/22/2008
- GMA NEWS.TV, AFP not ruling out Reds in QC bus
burning incident
External Links