Put it to the test

Readers may have noticed how easy it has been for everyone to come up with solutions, ideas and suggestions on what to do and what not to do concerning the expected “Carmagedon” in the form of traffic resulting from the multi-project start up of the republic of P-Noy.

Some solutions die instant death based on stupidity, impracticality or sheer unpopularity. Some ideas die from mental or verbal miscarriage by the proponent or members of media, and some suggestions actually survive the 6:30 evening news and are seriously considered by policy makers and the public.

Now might be a good time to call in DOST Secretary Mario Montejo to once again explain how and why their idea of a Road Train System will work on EDSA, how it will provide transportation for several thousand commuters on EDSA daily, how the Road Train will free up one lane on EDSA, create an investment opportunity for a quick PPP, reduce fuel consumption as well as air pollution, AND REDUCE TRAFFIC!

I first heard about the “Road Train Project” during the Innovation Conference or ICON hosted by Hyundai Auto Resources Inc. (HARI) back in 2013. To be honest I was initially skeptical because the design is based on a “tractor head” or bus pulling several wagons or train carriage on regular bus or truck tires. Instead of the usual train tracks that the MRT or LRT run on, the Road train will run on EDSA’s road surface probably secured by concrete barriers or gutters like in a bowling lane. Each set of trains will have a head unit pulling 5 interconnected coaches able to take 120 people or 600 per set at full capacity. As presented, the units will run on a diesel-electric hybrid system, which will free it from being totally dependent on electricity and high maintenance cost. The production and maintenance cost would be lower than the usual MRT/LRT that requires elevated platforms, stations and access.

Although it will take at least a year to roll out one set if it were to be fully funded by generous donors and built by a dedicated team of constructors, I would speculate that the Road Train would be our modern day version of Filipino Innovation blending engineering and technology with on the ground realities and creating a solution as iconic as the “jeepney.” If Secretary Montejo gets a green light, I’m publicly volunteering myself as well as a couple of “car crazy” people who like to create and build these sort of things.

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Standing in the sidelines, it’s interesting how one cabinet member in an effort to do his job inadvertently makes another look utterly useless. When MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino floated the idea of the MMDA operating the shelved Pasig River ferry he probably thought nothing of it except as a good and practical idea. As they say desperate times require desperate measures. To this I say “hear, hear” and “Well done” for actually doing something about a potential problem while dealing with another long pending problem!

But how does this make the DOTC look?  Stupid of course! How else would they look considering it’s been three years that the Pasig River ferry has not been operating! First I heard about it was because the new administration wanted to rebid the project. Then I heard that the last operator was losing money. Then we never heard about it again! Imagine that for at least 6 if not 9 years under the so-called corrupt Arroyo administration, we had a fully functioning Pasig River Ferry that my wife and I used to take on occasions from Guadalupe or Mandaluyong all the way down to Quiapo. When the new administration came in, 2 living but inactive DOTC Secretaries could not get the system floating up and down the river!

But Lo and behold! Chairman Tolentino says the MMDA will operate the ferry boats or if necessary they could pull them up and down the river with tugboats. I really look forward to the day when the MMDA commandeer the ferryboats and do what the DOTC totally failed to do. Maybe then P-Noy will finally realize he has the wrong people in the DOTC.

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Among the other ideas coming out of the MMDA, one is to take away the 9-3 window where vehicles with banned number plates are allowed to drive. I’m sure this will help some and it may be worth a try but the MMDA and Chairman Tolentino might want to consider dealing with the problems and testing the solutions they have talked about in the past but failed to do. For instance how about really regulating buses and keeping them in place. Last Monday radio reporters were surprised that the morning traffic on EDSA was bad northbound and not towards Makati. As they discovered, the buses were cutting ahead of the cue and blocking other lanes of EDSA at the Ortigas intersection.

It’s not a private car versus public utility debate we need; it’s dealing with what is obvious. Buses block lanes, many buses between 9 to 3 are only half full, so why is Chairman Tolentino immediately focusing on private cars? Why is his first target always private cars and his usual comment is that there is an over abundance of cars? What about truck mounted billboards, “Driving School cars and student drivers learning how to drive on EDSA, all of which slow traffic considerably. Then there are the constant obstacles poised by MMDA maintenance personnel who are washing walls, watering plants or painting gutters, all done during the day when traffic is at peak!

Do something about synchronizing traffic lights to get a wave of green lights and cars moving. What about removing debris and illegally parked cars on Araneta Avenue, illegal jeepney terminals on the East and West service roads? Yes the Chairman needs real volume reduction, but the public also wants action, integrity and fairness in the efforts of the MMDA. Yes Mr. Chairman we are willing to support you but first deal with all the past “fails” that the MMDA never acted on resolutely.

Why should law-abiding taxpayers always be first on your hit list? Please deal with the violators first. Stop picking on us and do your job: enforce the law.

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