MMDA pushes carpooling to decongest EDSA

MANILA, Philippines - Motorists should leave their cars at home and share a ride instead to reduce the number of private vehicles on EDSA, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said yesterday.

MMDA officer-in-charge Thomas Orbos said he is in constant talks with other members of the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (IACT) to come up with guidelines on how the carpooling system should work.

The IACT is composed of the MMDA, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Highway Patrol Group (HPG).

Orbos is eyeing the introduction of the system before classes open in June.

He said 80 percent of road users are private vehicles and half of them carry only one person, which adds to the congestion on Metro Manila’s busiest road.

Orbos clarified that they are still conducting a series of studies before implementing the carpooling system, such as regulating the tints on vehicle windows to ensure the safety of passengers.

He said high-ranking government officials and foreign dignitaries would be automatically exempt from the regulation on tints due to security reasons.

The MMDA also wants to ensure that van owners will not operate as colorum public utility vehicles to take advantage of the carpooling system, which involves the MMDA asking car owners to allow their friends, neighbors and colleagues to ride with them for free.

Orbos said should the carpooling system take effect, he is willing to exempt car owners who take part in carpooling from the number coding scheme and other traffic measures.

The MMDA’s decision to introduce carpooling came after ride-sharing app Uber and San Miguel Corp. signed a carpooling agreement in October last year.

San Miguel Corp. said carpooling aims to transport its 5,000 employees who are traveling the same routes to and from work.