A total of 284 buses have been deployed in EDSA to ferry more passengers of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Wednesday.
This was after the EDSA Busway System absorbed 90 more bus units under the MRT-3 Bus Augmentation Program, in addition to the 194 currently servicing passengers from Monumento all the way to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).
In addition to the original list of stops, the EDSA Busway service will now also load and unload passengers at the following:
NORTHBOUND
Loading stations:
- Taft Avenue station
- Ayala station
Unloading stations:
- Ayala station
- Guadalupe station
- Ortigas station
- Quezon Avenue station
- North Avenue station
SOUTHBOUND
Loading stations:
- North Avenue station
- Quezon Avenue station
Unloading stations:
- Ortigas station
- Guadalupe station
- Ayala station
- Taft Avenue station
Meanwhile, from the fixed rate of P25, the DOTr said the base fare will now be P13 for the first five kilometers with P2.2 added for every succeeding kilometer.
The interim operations of the EDSA Busway rolled out on July 1 in the hopes of helping more commuters along the busiest thoroughfare in the metropolis.
The program was implemented to also reduce travel time from Monumento, Caloocan to PITX from the usual two to three hours to just 45 minutes to an hour.
To further ensure the welfare of passengers, health and safety protocols are being strictly implemented on the Busway System including temperature checking, social distancing, and the mandatory wearing of face masks.
The EDSA Busway System is a program of DOTr and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).