Monthly ridership for the Metro Rail Transit 3 has averaged to an additional three million at the onset of the Christmas holidays, with lawmakers airing optimism that this will help address a more serious traffic crisis by next month.
In a public hearing for the proposed emergency crisis measure, members of the House Committee on Transportation led by its chairman Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento heaved a sigh of relief over the report of MRT 3 officer-in-charge Deo Manalo who disclosed the huge improvement in the MRT-3 transport service in the past three months.
The MRT 3 report appeared to have been the only positive news received by the committee as it launched the first public hearing for House Bill 4334 or the Traffic Crisis Act of 2016 filed by House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez.
“Naging very reliable na ang pagtakbo ng 20 trains during peak hours starting 6:30 a.m. this month,” Manalo said as he stressed that MRT-3’s maintenance provider has been delivering on its contractual obligations with the government.
Busan Universal Rail Inc., MRT-3 maintenance provider, was able to exceed expectations as it was able to increase train availability at an average of 20.31 on peak hours daily from November 1 to 18, higher than October’s average of 18.75. (Ben R. Rosario)