The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is urging bus operators and drivers to comply with the 45-second limit at stops along EDSA Busway, as 90 percent of station timers are now operational.
“Nananawagan po tayo sa ating mga bus drivers na sumunod sa panuntunan na ito para tuloy-tuloy ang daloy ng mga bus sa busway,” DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon said in a statement on Friday, March 7.
(We are calling on our bus drivers to follow this guideline to ensure the continuous flow of buses on the busway.)
Dizon said enforcers of the special action and intelligence committee for transportation (SAICT), a unit of the DOTr, have been deployed at northbound and southbound stations to ensure compliance.
Two enforcers are deployed at each bus stop to remind drivers of the 45-second rule.
While timers were already installed across the busway, drivers often disregarded them to fill their buses with more passengers, causing traffic buildup in the process.
The DOTr chief said he is fast-tracking repairs of remaining station timers to complete improvements of the busway’s entire signaling system.
This, he said, ensures smoother operations and enhanced safety for commuters.
Repair work on elevators at stations is underway to ensure that facilities are accessible to persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Dizon added that the PWD ramp at Philam Station in Quezon City, which received criticism for being too steep, has been repaired and is now safe to use.
These improvements were earlier cited by the Transportation Secretary as short-term solutions that the DOTr can do right away to alleviate the commuter experience.
The DOTr is intent on transforming the busway into a modern transportation route next year through the construction of a dedicated concourse separate from the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) railway.
A public-private partnership (PPP) for the busway’s operations and maintenance is confirmed as the next step.
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