Dizon open to extending MRT, LRT operating hours

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon on Tuesday expressed openness to extending the operating hours of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 and the Light Rail Transit systems in a bid to improve commuter experience.

At a press conference in San Juan City, Dizon said, “We need to demand longer hours.”

“This is for passenger welfare. We want to make the commuting public lives’ easier… that’s the easiest [way], increasing the operating hours by two hours ang laking bagay no’n ah in terms of pila (that would be a big deal in terms of reducing lines of passengers),” the Transportation chief said.

Dizon’s take was different from the previous leadership of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), which said in December last year that extending the operating hours of the MRT3 and LRT systems is “not feasible” as it will compromise the conduct of maintenance.

Dizon, likewise, acknowledge that “the issue is going to be maintenance.”

However, the Transportation chief said he will have a discussion with the maintenance providers of the railway system.

“I understand, We need to maintain it. We don’t want trains stopping again… But, we always have to find a way to push it a little bit,” Dizon said.

“We will consider all options to make commuting public’s experience easier. All options are on the table… lengthening of [train] hours. Whatever bright ideas the DOTr, the operators of our rails, of MRTs, LRTs can come up with,” he said.

Regular hours on MRT-3 has the first train leaving the North Ave station at 4:36 a.m. on weekdays, 4:37 a.m. on Saturdays, and 4:38 a.m. on Sundays.

The last train from North Avenue leaves at 9:30 p.m. on all days of the week.

The first train leaves Taft Avenue station at 5:18 a.m. on weekdays, 5:18 a.m. on Saturdays, and 5:19 a.m. on Sundays.

The last train leaves Taft Avenue at 10:11 p.m. on weekdays, 10:08 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10:09 p.m. on Sundays.

For LRT1, the regular train schedule on the LRT 1 has the first trains from Dr. Santos and FPJ stations leaving at 4:30 a.m. on weekdays and 5 a.m. on weekends.

The last train leaves Dr. Santos at 10 p.m. on weekdays, and 9:30 p.m. on weekends.

The last train from FPJ station leaves at 10:15 p.m. on weekdays, and 9:45 p.m. on weekends.

For LRT2, regular operations on the LRT-2 start at the Recto and Antipolo stations at 5 a.m.

The last train from Antipolo station leaves at 9 p.m. while the last train from Recto leaves at 9:30 p.m. — BAP, GMA Integrated News