Nonstop bus service off to slow start

DESPITE the less than enthusiastic response from the public on the first day of the Edsa nonstop bus service, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) remains hopeful it will catch on and be implemented in other major thoroughfares.

During the agency’s Sunday radio program, MMDA Traffic Discipline head Cris Saruca said that there were few passengers when the point-to-point bus service was launched Saturday.

“We expected the low number of passengers since it was the first day of the bus service. We need more public information campaigns to make the public aware of this program,” Saruca added. He did not, however, give figures, saying the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) was the one keeping track.

Last week, the MMDA, DOTC and the Edsa traffic technical working group announced the implementation of the “Holiday Non-Stop Bus Service” until Jan. 6 to encourage private vehicle owners to switch to public transportation to ease traffic during the holidays.

Under the project, 20 express buses will travel nonstop from one point on Edsa to either one of three routes: Trinoma (North Edsa) in Quezon City to Park Square Terminal in Ayala Center Makati; SM North Edsa to Glorietta 5, Ayala Center; and SM Megamall to Park Square Terminal. Fares will range between P50 and P80.

Other routes will be added at the end of the initial phase of the bus service which may be called the “Premium Point-to-Point Service” by July 2016.

The MMDA and DOTC said the program was aimed at making public transportation the “No. 1 choice of every traveler for their daily commute, even if they own a car or motorcycle” in order to decongest Edsa and other major roads.

This premium bus system will add a total of 151 buses which will ply six routes around the metropolis: Fairview to Makati, Ortigas to Makati, Katipunan to Makati, Eastwood-Makati, Alabang to Makati and Alabang to Ortigas. Fares will range from P60 to P160.

According to DOTC senior adviser for planning Robert Siy, the buses will have a common color and branding, Wi-Fi and GPS systems and closed circuit television cameras. They will also boast better emissions and air-conditioning.

“In terms of frequency, we want to have a very small interval between buses during peak hours. Between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and [from] 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., there will be an interval of only 10 minutes,” Siy said.

“It will also have an automatic fare collection system,” Sy added, noting that the buses would soon take the Beep cards currently used for the Light Rail and Metro Trail Transit systems.