Express buses won’t ease traffic – MMDA

MANILA, Philippines - The deployment of express buses is not expected to reduce the volume of vehicles along EDSA, particularly during the rush hours, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Escudero said yesterday.

He said express bus scheme, which will be implemented by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), is not a traffic reduction program but a “passenger contingency “ measure to allow commuters to travel non-stop along EDSA.

Tolentino said during the MMDA’s weekly radio program on dzBB that they are expecting the same volume of vehicles during peak hours.

Under the new scheme, 50 air-conditioned buses will travel virtually non-stop from Fairview to Makati City. These buses will be exempt from the yellow lane restriction and allowed to travel along EDSA’s underpasses.

Point-to-point terminals will be set along key areas from North EDSA to the Mall of Asia as stops for these express buses, according to Emerson Carlos, MMDA assistant general manager for operations.

He said the new bus scheme would be an alternative to car owners who can now travel comfortably to their destination in Pasay, Makati, Quezon City and Caloocan.