LTFRB eyes more passengers on buses to cut long Edsa Busway queues

(FILE) Passengers line up to board Edsa Carousel buses at Monumento, Caloocan City on September 30, 2020.  Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Increasing the passenger capacity of Edsa buses from its current limit has been floated as possible solutions to cut the long lines of commuters waiting for free rides on the Edsa Busway (Edsa Carousel), the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Thursday.

At present, buses on the Edsa Busway can only accommodate up to 20 passengers per ride, LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra said, and the agency is in talks with the government’s pandemic task force on the possibility of increasing passenger capacity, among other guidelines, to address the long queues of bus passengers.

“We continue to be guided by what the IATF would allow us to do under the current circumstances. Kung pwede nga maitaas na yung kapasidad ng ating public transport kasi isa rin po yan sa mga rason, mas maraming pinasasakay na pasahero,” Delgra said.

(We continue to be guided by what the IATF would allow us to do under the current circumstances. If we could increase the capacity of our public transportation because this is one reason, there are more passengers that need to be accommodated.)

Less than 400 units are currently operating in Edsa Busway but the average daily ridership reached 182,000 on June 14, which is more than the recorded 41,000 ridership in March, Delgra said.

The increase in the number of passengers may be attributed to the free bus rides offered under the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) free ride program for health and economic frontliners and authorized persons outside of residence, the transportation official said.

“Dumadami talaga yung pasahero. I have to admit that, we have to admit that. Dahil na rin sa libreng sakay,” he said.

(The number of passengers is increasing. I have to admit that, we have to admit that. This is due to the free rides.)

Earlier in June, photos of  Edsa Busway stations circulated online and showed commuters packed together and in apparent violation of social distancing protocols while queuing for their bus rides.

Despite this, Delgra assured that the free rides program will continue and might be extended even after June 30.

“Tuloy-tuloy po itong libreng sakay. I would like to assure ‘yung mga mananakay na tuloy-tuloy po ito,” the chairman said.

(The free rides will continue. I would like to assure the commuters that it will continue.)

Among the solutions being eyed to address the problem is to increase the number of bus units on the Edsa Busway and improved efficiency to avoid passenger overcrowding, Delgra said.

“We are addressing that issue (on transportation efficiency) para lahat ng mga busses along Edsa would be spread out and running constantly at any time whether it’s peak hours or off peak hours,” Delgra said.

(We are addressing that issue on transportation efficiency so that all busses along EDSA would be spread out and running constantly at any time whether it’s peak hours or off peak hours.)  Faith Yuen Wei Ragasa, Inquirer trainee

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