With rising fuel prices, commuters turn to free EDSA Busway Carousel rides

Commuters formed long lines on Tuesday morning in Caloocan City to get on the EDSA Busway Carousel for free rides as fuel companies again implemented price hikes on diesel and gasoline.

The lines snaked from the footbridge, connected to the southbound EDSA Busway Carousel lane, to Benin Street in Monumento, according to a report by James Agustin on GMA News' Unang Balita.

At past 4 a.m., many passengers were already in the area. The lines became longer at 5 a.m., then reached to half of Benin Street across EDSA by 6:30 a.m.

Ganito karami ang mga pasahero na sasakay ng EDSA carousel bus sa Monumento Caloocan. Ang dulo ng pila, nasa Benin Street na mula sa southbound lane ng EDSA. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/CbtRuLxVJj

— James Agustin (@_jamesJA) June 6, 2022

Some commuters said they prefer riding the EDSA Busway Carousel to using their own vehicles due to the rising prices of gasoline and diesel.

Others said they prefer the EDSA Busway Carousel because not only is the fare free, it is also air-conditioned and does not get stuck in traffic due to the dedicated lane.

The government began offering free EDSA Busway Carousel rides again on April 11 under the third phase of the Department of Transportation’s service contracting program.

Meanwhile, on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, commuters had a hard time catching rides on public utility vehicles, according to GMA News reporter Joseph Morong on Twitter.

Fewer jeepneys were plying their routes. According to jeepney drivers, some of their fellow drivers already quit due to the high cost of diesel.

Commuters hustle to board public utility vehicles along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. Some jeepney drivers say, some of them have quit due to high diesel price @gmanews pic.twitter.com/zCvdqGMSeE

— Joseph Morong ???????? (@Joseph_Morong) June 6, 2022

Effective June 7, the prices per liter of gasoline went up by P2.70, diesel by P6.55, and kerosene by P5.45.

Domestic pump prices have so far been on an uptrend for most of the year, with only eight weekly rollbacks implemented in 2022.

Latest data available from the Department of Energy show that year-to-date adjustments stand at a net increase of P23.85 per liter for gasoline, P30.30 per liter for diesel, and P27.65 per liter for kerosene as of May 31, 2022. —KG, GMA News