MMDA eyes dry run of driver-only car ban on EDSA next week

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is looking to conducting a dry run of the ban on vehicles with no passengers apart from the driver along EDSA during rush hours by next week.

At present, the agency is just fine-tuning its guidelines on the expanded high occupancy vehicle lanes that it plans to implement along EDSA before the month ends.

"Tinatapos lang natin 'yung guidelines, so hopefully by next week makapag-dry run na tayo para matignan po natin kung may mali pa o saan pa may pagkukulang," said MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia in an interview on Unang Balita on Thursday.

The policy was made after an MMDA study found out that 70 percent of vehicles traversing EDSA during rush hours — or from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. — only have drivers in them without passengers.

The MMDA plans to apprehend violators through its No Contact Traffic Apprehension to avoid disrupting the traffic flow.

Addressing the motorists' safety concerns, Garcia said the policy does not encourge drivers of private vehicles to pick up strangers.

"Ang gusto natin dito, 'yung mag-share sila ng ride pero hindi sa strangers. Puwede asawa o pamilya, kung isa lang ang pupuntahan niyo, baka puwede magsabay na kayo. Kung kayo ay magkaklase o office-mates, 'yung tipong ganon," he said.

Garcia stressed the pressing need to decrease the volume of vehicles on EDSA to address the perennial traffic problem there.

Admitting that the policy is just a short-term solution to the traffic problem, Garcia expressed hope that the Duterte administration's "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure project will provide the long-term solution.

"Eto (infrastructure) po talaga ang makakatulong sa atin," he said. —KBK, GMA News