LTFRB eyes scrapping some express bus stopovers

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is considering removing some pickup and dropoff points of the agency’s “express connect bus service,” an official said yesterday. 

LTFRB Chairman Winston Ginez said the board is currently debating where to scrap the Mall of Asia pickup and dropoff points of the service since only a few passengers board the bus at these points.

The LTFRB wanted to ensure that the express connect bus service will be beneficial to passengers, drivers and operators, Ginez said. 

He said that at present, the project benefits only passengers, not drivers.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the LTFRB launched the express bus service on March 23 to help ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

The service’s pilot test will run for a month and operate daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. on three routes, Ginez said.

Fifty bus operators joined the project. Twenty buses each were allocated to Route E1 (Fairview-Ortigas Avenue/Gil Puyat Avenue LRT station) and E3 (Fairview-Ayala Avenue MRT station-SM Mall of Asia rotunda) while 10 buses were allocated to Route E2 (Fairview-Ayala Avenue/Gil Puyat Avenue LRT station).

The LTFRB is also considering adding some pickup and dropoff points along Commonwealth Avenue, but only upon the approval of the MMDA.