MANILA – Public transport groups led by the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP) on Friday expressed support for acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez’s opposition to allowing carpooling vehicles on the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) busway.
In a statement coursed through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), PBOAP executive director Alex Yague said the intent of the EDSA Busway would be “defeated” if private vehicles are allowed to use it.
“I agree with Secretary Lopez, the EDSA Carousel is designed for buses which are for mass transport,” Yague said.
On the other hand, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP) president Melencio Vargas said the proposal to allow carpooling on EDSA Busway would only bring back congestion and make the experience for commuters worse.
“Maayos na ang operasyon ng EDSA Busway, bakit guguluhin pa? Mauuwi lang ito sa dating sistema na buhol-buhol ang traffic sa EDSA dahil walang sistema (EDSA Busway is already operating smoothly, why change it? This will only lead to the old system of heavy traffic on EDSA),” Vargas said.
Meanwhile, Pasang-Masda national president “Ka Obet” Martin reminded proponents of the carpooling policy that the EDSA Busway only takes up one lane.
“Mas madaming sasakyan ang padaanin mo diyan, mas malaki ang posibilidad na mahaharangan yan at maapektuhan ang mas maraming pasahero ng mga bus (If more vehicles are allowed on the EDSA Busway, the bigger the possibility of getting blocked and affecting bus passengers),” Martin said.
On Thursday, Lopez opposed the proposal to allow carpooling vehicles on the EDSA Busway as it could affect its primary purpose of moving more people by providing fast and uninterrupted service to buses that carry up to 300,000 passengers daily.
On Tuesday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Nicolas Torre III revealed a study into allowing high-occupancy vehicles, or those with at least 10 passengers, to use EDSA Busway to help reduce congestion in the metropolis.
Torre said the proposal aims to promote carpooling or the practice of sharing a ride on a private vehicle with multiple people. (PNA)