MMDA, Ateneo launch 2-week shuttle trial run

STARTING today (Tuesday), shuttle buses will pick up Ateneo High School students, teachers and personnel at three designated drop-off points and bring them to the campus free of charge as part of efforts to reduce traffic on Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, during the morning rush hour.

During Monday’s signing of the memorandum of agreement between Ateneo de Manila University and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Ateneo High School principal Carmela Oracion said eight buses would be deployed to Temple Drive and UP-Ayala Technohub in Quezon City, and SM City Marikina for the two-week trial run.

Two buses each will be assigned to the SM Marikina City and Temple Drive routes. There will be four buses for UP-Ayala Technohub since there are more students near the area.

According to Oracion, the first bus in all three drop-off points will leave at 6:15 a.m. followed by the next one after 15 minutes. In the case of the UP-Ayala Technohub route, the last bus will leave at 7 a.m.

“For this trial run, we just started with the students who come to school in private vehicles and as lone passengers in order to get the maximum impact in the soonest possible time but soon, we will also extend the invitation to other students,” Oracion said.

According to her, the shuttle buses will operate only in the morning as students have different dismissal times.

During the two-week trial run, the shuttle service will be free of charge. “We will see from here how things go and how we can improve this provision for the parents, but at the same time make it also a sustainable option,” Oracion said.