DOTr: 69 of 72 MRT trains overhauled

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is nearing completion of the overhaul of 72 train cars of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3, the MRT-3 management reported yesterday.

Last week, the management said it picked up another set of overhauled trains from the maintenance yard, increasing the number of rehabilitated units to 69.

“All in all, just three of the 72 trains of the MRT-3 are undergoing repairs as part of our maintenance program,” the management said.

According to the MRT-3 management, train cars have to go through maintenance to repair systems that were compromised by daily operations. Old gears should be changed to ensure the safety of the passengers.

Maintenance personnel also check the speed and quality of the overhauled trains prior to sending them back to the rail line to service commuters.

To date, the MRT-3 deploys up to 20 trains daily to accommodate the growing ridership, especially with the return of face-to-face classes and other on-site activities.

Based on records, total MRT-3 ridership increased by 38 percent to 44.1 million last year from 31.8 million in 2020, as quarantine restrictions were lifted to jumpstart the economy.

In March, the DOTr completed the rehabilitation work on the MRT-3, two months ahead of the target date.

The renovation accelerated the operating speed of trains to 60 kilometers per hour from 25 kph, and also minimized waiting time at the stations to 3.5 minutes from nine minutes.