DLTBCo

1918

It was in 1918 when Max Blouse began his business ventures and he founded the Batangas Transportation Company (BTCo). Starting with only one "calesa-like tires with wooden spokes" bus, Max Blouse performed the multiple tasks of being the driver, conductor and repairman for the whole operation. He eventually acquired 17 more units of the passenger vehicles painted in red that people fondly called "pula" - the basis of today's DLTBCo bus livery and Philippine Rabbit, its counterpart at Northern and Central Luzon.

1928

As a result of the thriving operation in the transportation business, Max Blouse in 1928 incorporated BTCo with his newly established bus company dubbed as Laguna Tayabas Bus Company (LTB), concentrating in the area of Laguna and Tayabas. The two enterprises he had installed apportioned a conspicuous achievement until the disruption of the Second World War.

The remnants of the war resulted to an intense damage and decline of the company's business activities. All operations were closed, records were destroyed and most of the company-owned buildings were ravaged by the war. In spite of the miscarriage during those times, Max Blouse never lost his forbearance and intensified his effort to raise back the company's destroyed properties.

1945

Under a "Joint Emergency Operations" agreement on May 22, 1945, the two corporations proceeded its operation with 28 Chevrolet buses which Max Blouse acquired from the US army. He enabled a spectacular stride by bringing back the prosperity that the company savored prior to the war.

1961–1964

The death of Max Blouse on December 28, 1961 posted a challenge to Col. Pelagio G. Potenciano, a doctor by profession, who took the place of his father-in-law's designation as president. Albeit the fact the Colonel Potenciano did not have enough skills on the transportation business, he was bale to manage the two corporations well through his dedication and industry. It was during his administration where the BTCo and LTB finally merged into one company and was approved by the company's stockholder in 1964, thus, creating a new name termed as the Batangas Laguna Tayabas Bus Company (BLTBCo).

1977–1988

Colonel Potenciano's son, Max, became the president from 1977 to 1988.

In 1988, a new formula was instilled into the company's management milieu by a new woman president in the person of Dolores Alonso Potenciano, wife of Max B. Potenciano. When she took her position as president, re-structuring was adopted by modifying BLTBCo. into a multi-million enterprise having an all-Filipino management. (The company was originally in partnership by Max Blouse and his American associates).

During the course of her supervision as president, Mrs. Potenciano adapted a lot of changes and development in the whole operation. Her dispositions and adeptness in yielding ingenious ideas propped up growth and changes in the entire company.

BLTB Co has maintained MAN, Hino, UD Nissan Diesel, Mercedes-Benz, Isuzu, and Mitsubishi Fuso units from the time of re-fleeting between 1988 and 2001. All of its buses were already defunct, while others were destroyed in a 2003 fire in Malibay.

When Del Monte Motor Works, Inc. took over the management in 2009, their coachbuilding division provided additional bus units. With those units manufactured by Del Monte such as the DM10, DM11, DM12, and DM14s, the company has maintained most of the old routes and presently they have Ashok Leyland, Hino, Hyundai, MAN, Kia, King Long and Yutong units.

Here are their fleets as of May 2023:

Former Fleet

Issues and criticisms

The issue on labor union in BLTBCo has caused up to pay for its damages filed by their employees. In 1973, during Martial Law, a group of private respondents, totaling 34 employees, led by bus conductors Librado Aquino and Eufemio Bondad, demanded the company for back wages and separation pay. These employees were detained by the military due to alleged involvement in the defraudation of the fund of the company. The management also refused to give them back pay. In the decision by the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), favoring the decision to the complainants, the management forced to give separation pay to the employees.

Consecutive strikes led by labor union leaders of the company were able to file cases against the management due to unfair labor practice and violation of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). BLTBCo management forced to pay those employees who led the strike in two consecutive years.

The bankruptcy of BLTBCo was caused by the involvement of one member of Potenciano family to run for governor in Laguna, but failed to win in the 2001 local elections. This time, the labor union filed a class suit against the management. By then, BLTBCo has again, a troubled history when the Potenciano clan strongly refused to give up the bus company to its investors. As a result, the company was totally crippled by financial losses and mismanagement for six years. The Bitanga and Potenciano clans have disputes on the management of the company.