DOST touts road train to ease NCR traffic

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) debuted its Hybrid Electric Road Train (HERT) at the start of the 2015 National Science and Technology Week on Friday, July 24. Interior Sec. Mar Roxas and DOST Sec. Mario Montejo took the vehicle for a short spin in the SM Mall of Asia (MoA) complex in Pasay City. The HERT is touted as a potential solution to help facilitate commuting on Metro Manila's main roads. Danny Pata  

Billions of government funds spent yearly on subsidy for train commuters can be saved through a cost-effective mode of transportation, Secretary Mario Montejo of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Tuesday, as he touted the hybrid electric road train developed by the agency.

 

The hybrid road train is one of the various technologies featured in DOST's annual National Science and Technology Week celebrations being held in Pasay City this week.

 

"Sasabihin kailangan i-subsidize ang mass transport? Pag tinanggap natin yun, talo na tayo...We just have to open-minded. We have to learn other technologies," Montejo said in a forum on the efficiency of mass transport sytems.

 

The government, through the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), asked for a P6.6-billion allocation to subsidize commuters riding the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) this year.

 

"Pwede kumita ang mass transport from day one. Pwede pa madali i-operate at i-repair," Montejo said.

 

He said the road train was designed to increase the number of passengers carried in a given road space.

 

"Yung ating road system or road network, finite yun, napakahirap maglagay ng right of way so we have to start with the given," the Cabinet Secretary said.

 

Montejo said the road train launched last month in Clark can accommodate four commuting passengers per square meter compared to the capacity of buses at two passengers per square meter.

 

"Mass transport is the most convenient way of conveying passengers per given space. It can handle the most number of passengers," Montejo said.

 

Developed by local scientists, the hybrid road train measures 40 meters and is suitable for three-lane roads. In the same forum, however, it was raised that the law only allows buses measuring 18 meters to travel.

 

The road train has three to four coaches, with each coach capable of accommodating 65 passengers.

 

Engr. Jonathan Puerto of the DOST Metals Industry Research and Development Center added that the train is diesel-electric powered, has fully-airconditioned cabins, and has wide automatic sliding doors.

 

As to when the road trains will be able to service commuters, Rio Pagtalunan, the project leader of the technology, said it would depend on the interest of private investors.

 

"Ang gobyerno kasi gusto nila PPP (Public-Private parternship) kaya kailangan ng investors para dito," he said in an interview.

 

He said the road train can run on major roads like EDSA but there must be a dedicated lane for it.

 

"Dagdag pa dyan, kailangan din maganda ang quality ng surface, yung road worthiness, so kailangan ayusin muna ang mga kalsada otherwise bumpy ang dadaanan ng road train," Pagtalunan added. — TJD, GMA News