Saturday, December 06, 2008 Provincial buses can now pick up passengers at Edsa
THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday launched the 15 loading and unloading terminals along the 24-kilometer Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) where provincial buses can pick passengers.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando and other officials led the launching of the stations installed along strategic points from Caloocan to Pasay City for the use of some 2,500 provincial buses.
Mrs. Arroyo lauded the MMDA initiative, saying the move would not only alleviate traffic congestion in the busy thoroughfare but also help boost the transport industry in general.
The MMDA was earlier directed to conceptualize a new traffic improvement project after observing that the sharing of bus stops among some 2,500 provincial buses and some 3,000 city buses has contributed to traffic congestion at Edsa.
During her visit, the President also witnessed the official opening of the pink pedestrian footbridge set up at the intersection of Quezon Avenue and Edsa in Quezon City.
Arroyo also got to see how the organized bus route (OBR) system using radio frequency identification technology being implemented by the MMDA to control the dispatch of city buses from terminals based on passenger demand has restored order and discipline among public utility vehicle drivers.
Prior to the creation of the 15 loading and unloading areas, passengers are only allowed to board provincial buses at the terminals lined up along Edsa.
Chairman Fernando said the project was actually in response to a request by governors of Luzon provinces where provincial buses go.
"She (referring to the President) said that this is a good Christmas gift to the people," Fernando said, adding that President Arroyo was very satisfied with the MMDA's work.
Provincial buses, like city buses, are similarly given only 30 seconds to load and unload passengers and should leave the area as soon as another bus is fast approaching the bus stops, Fernando said.
Under the rules, only provincial buses with a "P" mark painted below or above the windshield of their vehicles are allowed to use the new loading and unloading stations.
Fernando earlier said that the project seeks to reduce conflicts over the shared use of limited road and bus stops space between city and provincial bus units.
He noted that the minor curtailment of commuter privileges, such as boarding or alighting anywhere they please, will minimize its contribution to traffic congestion along Edsa.
The bus stops are located underneath the flyovers to optimize the use of space along Edsa.
The designated bus stops at Edsa for provincial buses include Magallanes, Guadalupe Bridge, Boni Serrano, SM Megamall-J. Vargas Ave., Ortigas Ave. Timog Ave., Quezon Ave. North Ave.-Trinoma Mall, Balintawak, West Ave., and Ayala Ave.
The third lane of Edsa is currently devoted to provincial buses, while the first and second lanes are dedicated for city buses to facilitate the transfer of passengers without hampering the flow of traffic. (AH/Sunnex)
