Bus scheme on EDSA to reduce traffic by 20 percent – MMDA

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) expects to reduce traffic congestion along EDSA by 20 percent with the implementation of the enhanced bus segregation scheme.

MMDA assistant general manager for operations Emerson Carlos said they have observed decongestion between bus stops where buses, prior to the scheme’s implementation, would queue-up for passengers.

Under the system that was implemented Tuesday, buses would only stop at designated bus stops according to their classification. Affected by the scheme are 3,100 passenger buses plying EDSA.

“The scheme also helped us weed-out kolorum (unregistered) buses as they are not qualified to be given the identification stickers,” Carlos said.

Under the scheme, buses will be tagged “A,” bus “B” or “C.”

It covers all bus stops along EDSA from Magallanes to East Avenue and vice-versa.

According to the MMDA, buses “A” and “B” can only use designated A and B bus stops, respectively. On the other hand, buses “C” will be allowed to use all bus stops.

Buses with the “A” sticker will stop at the following loading and unloading bays: (Northbound) Magallanes, Buendia, Guadalupe, Shaw Blvd., SM Megamall, Boni Serrano, Cubao Farmers, and Ermin Garcia. (Southbound) Ermin Garcia, Arayat Cubao, VV Soliven, Connecticut, Shaw Starmall, Guadalupe, Buendia Ave., and Mantrade. Bus A stops are painted red.

“B” bus stops are: (Northbound) Ayala Ave., Estrella, Pioneer / Boni, SM Megamall, Ortigas Ave., Main Ave., and Baliwag /5 Star. (Southbound) Kamuning, Monte de Piedad, Main Ave., POEA Ortigas, Pioneer /Boni, Estrella, and Ayala Ave. These stops are painted blue.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said southbound “A” buses are allowed to take the Kamuning-Timog, Santolan, and Ortigas flyovers. Northbound “B” buses are allowed to take the Santolan flyover, while “A” buses can take the Ortigas and Timog-Kamuning flyover.

“We are optimistic that this enhanced bus segregation system will decongest EDSA significantly,” Tolentino said.

He added that MMDA dispatchers have been instructed not to allow buses without stickers to leave the four Organized Bus Route (OBR) terminals.

The MMDA on Tuesday apprehended at least 57 buses for violating the bus segregation scheme.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, the MMDA nabbed eight buses for plying EDSA without stickers and 25 buses for picking-up and unloading passengers on non-designated bus stops.