MMDA pushes ‘no chips, no travel’ policy for buses plying EDSA route

Beginning today, passenger buses without microchips will no longer be allowed to ply EDSA for failure of their operators to have their units tagged with the said radio frequency identification (RFID) technology under the Organized Bus Route system of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

Traffic enforcers assigned at terminals, emergency bays, and bus stops have been given marching orders to strictly enforce the “No Chips, No Trip” policy wherein buses caught using the main thoroughfare without microchips will be considered as colorums, will be impounded, and their drivers apprehended.

Once flagged down, errant bus drivers and conductors will have to return the transportation fares of their passengers as the bus is towed and stored in MMDA impounding yards.

Traffic enforcers were also directed to apprehend and confiscate the drivers’ licenses of bus drivers found to have three or more unpaid traffic violations upon verification of their apprehension records with the MMDA command center which is why operators are being advised to verify the same before they allow their drivers to work.

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said the agency has given bus operators enough time to comply with the OBR system’s requirement with notices issued to them since a few months ago to subject their units for tagging at OBR terminals, but to no avail.

“It’s high time to throw the book at those who continue to defy the law, or our well-meaning efforts to ease traffic and restore order and discipline in the streets will go down the drain,” he said.

Of the 3,500 buses plying EDSA and other major thoroughfares, 2,500 have been tagged with microchips while the rest have not been accounted for. It is presumed that the remaining untagged bus units are colorums.

During a meeting yesterday with traffic enforcer-supervisors, Fernando ordered them to strictly enforce the OBR regulations or heads will roll.

“It’s either you, or the errant driver gets sacked if you don’t put up,” he said noting that the agency can track down each one of the buses tagged with micro-chips plying the thoroughfares which can be read through pairing devices upon entering and exiting in regulated areas such as OBR terminals, loading and unloading bays, bus stops, and control stations.

The MMDA believes that aside from curbing illegal transport operations, the OBR scheme also affords bigger income and fuel cost savings on the part of bus operators due to lesser trips but increased passenger load per bus trip.