Always late because of traffic? Do the math...

Knowing where you’re going, what time you need to arrive at your destination, and how many kilometers you will be traveling can keep you from being late, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando said yesterday.

Besides, calculating travel time based on average speed, traffic and the actual length of the thoroughfare will give you that rare opportunity to refresh your mathematical skills, he said.

Fernando said even bus drivers, especially those driving passenger buses, jeepneys, and taxicabs, should also calculate their travel time so they can anticipate if they stand to profit from plying their route at a specific time of day.

Commuters, on the other hand, should also try doing some math instead of just blaming traffic every time they arrive late for work, a meeting, or anything that requires punctuality, he added.

In an interview, Fernando told The Star that people should always try to find ways to manage their life by doing a little extra work like calculating travel time.

Fernando, in his "MMDA sa GMA radio" program yesterday morning, cited examples to give the commuting public an idea on how to compute travel time along Metro Manila’s most famous highway.

EDSA, he explained, is a 23-kilometer highway. If you travel the entire stretch in an hour, that means your vehicle is running at 23 kilometers per hour (kph).

"If you arrived at your destination in 30 minutes, then it means that your travel speed was 46 kph ," Fernando said.

MMDA Deputy Chairman Cesar Lacuna added that doing some math everyday can be fun and can actually make life easier for motorists and commuters.

The average speed of vehicles in EDSA, he noted, is 20 kph, which used to be only 13 kph before the MMDA worked on improving traffic flow in the main thoroughfare.

"Knowing these things can help you plan ahead and eventually free yourself from the trouble of having to curse traffic jams everyday because you are always late for an appointment," he said.

Facts about Metro Manila’s roads are contained in road maps sold in bookstores and other general merchandise shops in the metropolis. 

Road maps actually sell well because Metro Manila commuters have become more conscious of the need for alternate routes and other related road information.

Fernando said the MMDA is always trying to find ways to help motorists and commuters get to their destinations faster and safer through its programs and projects.

The agency also tries to come up with ideas every now and then like teaching the public how to calculate travel time that can work wonders for daily commuters.

The question of a Navotas resident on how long is the entire stretch of EDSA was yesterday’s MMDA Trivia Question for the week.