Five Star Bus Company
Pangasinan Five Star Bus Company, Incorporated, or simply known as Five Star, is one of the largest bus companies in the Philippines. It serves routes mainly to the provinces of Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela and Cagayan Since it took management of at least three bus companies which includes Bataan Transit, First North Luzon Transit and the 2010 Luzon Cisco Transport, Five Star has been one of the most successful bus companies in the Philippines.
The Five Star Bus Company has been a successful bus company and together with its sister companies: Bataan Transit, Victory Liner, First North Luzon Transit, Luzon Cisco Transport and Bicol Isarog Transport System serve destinations through Luzon.
History
Five Star was founded in 1983 in Metro Manila. It started as a city operation firm using ordinary fare buses, its main sister company the Victory Liner is actually its parent. The Five Star Bus Company grew in the 90s, they started operations in Dagupan then later routes expanded to Cabanatuan, San Antonio, Tarlac City, Agno, Alaminos, Anda, Bolinao, San Carlos, Tayug, Santiago, Maddela, Piat, Tuguegarao and Solano, Nueva Vizcaya after the closure of Pangasinan Transportation Co., also known as Pantranco North Express Inc.When the Bataan Transit Co. Inc. was founded, in a few years later the Five Star Bus Company became its parent and today the Bataan Transit uses some terminals of Five Star and as main terminal in Cubao. The same happened to the First North Luzon Transit and the Luzon Cisco Transport.
The alliance of Five Star includes: Victory Liner, Bataan Transit, First North Luzon Transit and the Luzon Cisco Transport.
The First North Luzon Transit was actually not the first transit in north luzon it was the former Royal Eagle and after Five Star took management of it, got its name.
The Luzon Cisco Transport Co, Inc. took the routes which are Guimba, Nueva Ecija, Talugtug, Nueva Ecija, San Fabian, Pangasinan via Manaoag, Pangasinan and Santa Cruz, Zambales from Five Star management.
Main Stops
For Pangasinan and Tarlac passengers, the main stop may either be in Siesta Travel Gate Bus Stop in Tarlac City and Carmen in SM City Rosales Transport Terminal, Rosales, Pangasinan. Transit passengers are also allowed to disembark at Dau Bus Terminal, Mabalacat, Pampanga for ordinary-fare buses only and the Marquee Mall bus terminal in Angeles, Pampanga for air-conditioned buses only on the other hand.
For Nueva Ecija passengers, their main stop is depending on the route, if it is via Bulacan then it will be in Passengers Delight located in San Miguel, Bulacan and if the route is via SCTEX the main stop is at the Travellers Complex in La Paz, Tarlac
For the Cagayan Valley passengers the main stop is in RJ Bus Stop Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.
Five Star uses tachographs to monitor drivers who are over-speeding or who are speeding beyond 100 km/h continuously.
In 2010, Luzon Cisco Transport Co. Inc., a new bus company started servicing routes from Cubao to Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija after Five Star took management of it.
In 2012, Five Star installed WiFi routers on select air conditioned units to provide free internet for passengers.
In 2013, Five Star offered deluxe buses
In 2014, Five Star implied to Cagayan Valley Line due to GV Florida's long suspension.
In 2017, Five Star introduced the Cubao-Tarlac City route with air-conditioned buses.
In 2019, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board granted Five Star a franchise route plying Solano, Nueva Vizcaya to Avenida, Manila with 20 units in total.
In 2020, Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Government has temporary suspended the operations of mass transport system including Provincial buses and prohibited them from entering Metro Manila. As a result of this, the bus company opened a new temporary routes which are:
- Moncada, Tarlac to Meycauayan, Bulacan via Concepcion, Tarlac and SCTEX
- Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija to Meycauayan, Bulacan via SCTEX
- Dagupan, Pangasinan to Tayug, Pangasinan
- Dagupan, Pangasinan to Rosales, Pangasinan via Bayambang, Pangasinan.
About Five Star
Their Terminals
Five Star's headquarters in Pasay City is one of its largest terminals, with destinations In Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan. Its Cubao terminal in Quezon City is large enough that three bus companies use it: Five Star, Bataan Transit and Luzon Cisco Transport. Five Star also has a terminal in Avenida Manila which has trips to Dagupan, San Carlos, Pangasinan and Cagayan Valley. It also has terminals in Cabanatuan, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, Bolinao, Alaminos, Pangasinan, Agno, Anda, Pangasinan, San Carlos, Pangasinan, Tayug, Santiago, Isabela, Tuguegarao, Maddela, Piat and Solano, Nueva Vizcaya.Subsidiaries
Its main subsidiary is Victory Liner, but it is also a sister company of Bataan Transit, First North Luzon Transit and Luzon Cisco Transport.Fare Classes
- Ordinary fare
- Regular air conditioned
- Deluxe Class
- Super Deluxe Class
Fleet
Five Star Bus Company uses and maintains these bus units:- Higer V91 KLQ6119QE3
- Higer KLQ6123K U-Tour
- Higer KLQ6128LQ U-Tour
- Hino Grand Echo II RM2P
- Hino Grand Metro RK1JST
- JAC Universe HK6124AM1
- Hyundai Universe Space Luxury
- MAN AMC Tourist Star R39 18.350 HOCL
- MAN Trans Oriental Golden Dragon Superstar XML6126 Body
- MAN SR Modulo 280
- Nissan Diesel Santarosa JA450SSN
- Nissan Diesel Eurobus RB46SR
- Nissan Diesel Santarosa RB46SR
- King Long XMQ6118Y2
- Volvo/AutoDelta B11R in Marcopolo Audace 1050 body
- Volvo/Autodelta B7R GL6127HKC1
- Hino RM2P Grand Metro Body
- Hino RK1JST V92 Eurobus Body
- Hyundai Aero Space LS
- MAN Yutong ZK6120 Body A80 D0836LOHO12
- Nissan Diesel Yutong Body ZK6120 JA450SSN
- Nissan Diesel Yutong Body ZK6120 RB46S
- Nissan Diesel Yutong Body ZK6100HA RB46SR
- Nissan Diesel Yutong ZK6100HA RB46S
- Nissan Diesel Yutong ZK6120HE
- Yutong ZK6119HA paired with Rear Engine L53SA
- V92 Eurobus Body paired with Nissan Diesel Santarosa RB46S and Chassis Dong Feng LGG5XKBXV7K
Terminals
Metro Manila
- Cubao - EDSA Cubao, Quezon City
- Pasay - Aurora Blvd., Pasay City
- Total Gas Station Balintawak - EDSA Balintawak, Quezon City
- Avenida - Doroteo Jose St., Sta. Cruz, Manila''
Provincial
Cagayan Valley Region
- Cagayan
- *Tuguegarao City - Balzain Highway, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan via TPLEX
- *Piat - Brgy. Poblacion I, Piat, Cagayan
- Nueva Vizcaya
- *Solano - Brgy. Poblacion North, Solano, Nueva Vizcaya via TPLEX
- Isabela
- *Santiago City - Brgy. Calao East, Santiago City, Isabela via TPLEX
- Quirino
- *Maddela - Brgy. Poblacion Sur, Maddela, Qurino
Central Luzon Region
- Nueva Ecija
- *Cabanatuan City - Cabanatuan City Central Terminal, Brgy. Padre Crisostomo, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
- *Cabanatuan City - Zulueta St., Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
- *San Antonio - Brgy. Poblacion, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija
- Tarlac
- *Tarlac City - Siesta Bus Stop, Zamora St., Tarlac City, Tarlac
- Pampanga
- *Angeles City - Marquee Mall Bus Terminal, Marquee Mall, Angeles City, Pampanga
- *Mabalacat City - Dau Bus Terminal, Mabalacat City, Pamapanga
Ilocos Region
- Pangasinan
- *Agno - Brgy. Poblacion East, Agno, Pangasinan
- *Alaminos - Quezon Ave., Alaminos, Pangasinan
- *Anda - Brgy. Poblacion, Anda, Pangasinan
- *Bolinao - Poblacion Road, Bolinao, Pangasinan
- *Dagupan City - Perez Blvd., Dagupan City, Pangasinan
- *San Carlos City - Perez Blvd., San Carlos City, Pangasinan
- *Tayug - Mabini St., Tayug, Pangasinan
Former Terminal
Metro Manila
- Sampaloc - Legarda Street, Sampaloc Manila
Destinations
Metro Manila
- Cubao, Quezon City
- Pasay City
- Avenida and Sampaloc, Manila
Provincial Destinations (from Metro Manila)
- Marquee Mall, Angeles, Pampanga
- Dau/Mabalacat Bus Terminal, Mabalacat City, Pampanga
- Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
- San Antonio, Nueva Ecija
- Tarlac City, Tarlac
- Agno, Pangasinan
- Alaminos, Pangasinan
- Anda, Pangasinan
- Bolinao, Pangasinan
- Dagupan City, Pangasinan
- San Carlos City, Pangasinan
- Tayug, Pangasinan
- Solano, Nueva Vizcaya
- Maddela, Quirino
- Santiago City, Isabela
- Piat, Cagayan
- Tuguegarao City, Cagayan
Former destinations
- Palayan City, Nueva Ecija via Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
- San Quintin, Pangasinan via San Jose, Nueva Ecija
- San Jose, Nueva Ecija via Munoz, Nueva Ecija
- Guimba, Nueva Ecija via Victoria, Tarlac
- Santa Cruz, Zambales via Alaminos, Pangasinan
- San Fabian, Pangasinan via Manaoag, Pangasinan
- Dagupan, Pangasinan going to Tuguegarao, Cagayan
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