Motorcycles in NCR quadruple in 10 years

MANILA, Philippines — The number of motorcycles in Metro Manila grew by almost four times in the past 10 years as a result of the booming e-commerce demand and the entry of two-wheeled services.

Based on data from the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD), daily volume of motorcycles around Metro Manila quadrupled to 1.67 million in 2023, from 433,340 in 2013, the largest increase among all vehicle types.

The CPBRD said motorcycle traffic in the region grew on the growing popularity of e-commerce deliveries and the spiking demand for two-wheeled transport.

Notably, motorcycle taxi service pioneer Angkas started operating its business in 2016 and was followed by other providers like JoyRide PH and Move It. As such, the birth of motorcycle taxis was flagged as one of the reasons for the rise in two-wheel presence in Metro Manila.

However, the CPBRD said the spike in motorcycle use in the metro also comes with a cost. The research arm of Congress reported that motorcycle accidents went up by 80 percent to 36,486 in 2023 from 20,272 in 2013.

Further, the CPBRD said commuters are losing some of their traditional forms of transport, such as jeepneys, as a consequence of the government’s modernization program.

Daily traffic from public utility jeepneys (PUJs) decreased by half to 95,659 in 2023, from 193,221 in 2013, as the government mandated PUJ drivers to give up their traditional units for new models.

“This (declining PUJ traffic) can be partly attributed to the phasing out of traditional PUJs in line with the ongoing public utility vehicle modernization program,” the CPBRD said.

The traffic crisis in Metro Manila can be attributed to the growing volume of private vehicles and the shrinking availability of public units. Since the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) started arranging data based on vehicle purpose in 2017, the government has observed that public transport, in general, is waning.

Daily traffic in Metro Manila from public transport dipped by almost a third to 284,731 in 2023, from 418,927 in 2017. Meanwhile, the volume of private cars rose by nearly half to 3.35 million, from 2.28 million, during the period.

Among public roads, Commonwealth Avenue listed the highest daily traffic at 407,988 in 2023, followed by EDSA’s 407,342 and Quezon Avenue’s 312,486.

The CPBRD obtained its data from the average annual daily traffic of the MMDA that tracks the everyday volume of vehicles passing through circumferential and radial roads.