DOTr seeks to expand EDSA Carousel capacity to 650 buses

MANILA – To address long queues of passengers during peak hours, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has negotiated with the transport consortiums operating public utility buses (PUB) along the EDSA Carousel to increase the route’s maximum capacity to 650.

On Thursday, DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said in a Laging Handa briefing the number of passengers using the EDSA Carousel has been increasing.

“Iyon pong operator ay itataas iyong bilang ng mga bus mula po sa 550 paakyat sa 650. So nagdadagdag na po tayo ng bus units diyan (The operator will increase the number of buses from 550 to 650 buses. So, we have increased the number of bus units there),” Batan said.

He stated that in order to further improve its service and comfort for passengers, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to open two more EDSA Carousel stations along Tramo and Ayala Avenue.

This, after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the DOTr unveiled two new median bus stops early in August — along Roxas Boulevard and Taft Avenue.

There are 15 median bus stops for the EDSA Carousel, plus three other bus stops on the outer lanes, excluding the two stations that are still under construction.

According to Batan, these improvements will help address the expected increase in the number of passengers once classes start on Aug. 22 and the gradual return of in-person classes by November.

These include road safety initiatives to boost pedestrian and commuter safety and the continuation of the ‘Libreng Sakay (free ride)’ program at the EDSA Bus Carousel and at the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2).

He further stated that the LTFRB has already started the reopening of over a hundred pre-pandemic city bus, public utility jeepney, and UV Express routes.

“Para po masigurado natin na kapag nag-balik eskuwela po tayo sa parating na linggo ay magkakaroon po tayo ng sapat na bilang ng mga public transport na masasakyan po ng ating mga estudyante (This is to ensure that once schools reopen next week, we’ll have enough public transport for our students),” he said.

In a meeting with representatives from the two EDSA Carousel bus consortia in July, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista and LTFRB Chair Cheloy Garafil agreed to speed up the payout for the “Libreng Sakay” program in exchange for deploying 440 buses during rush hours as opposed to the typical 200 buses in the past.