Buses with passenger doors on their left side are now plying EDSA.
Lasts Wednesday, HM Transport Inc. deployed three buses with both left-side and right-side passenger doors.
Next week, RRCG will follow suit with more left-entry buses.
And this September, operators will dispatch 7 more buses with the same configuration.
The use of such units should ensure safe service for the commuting public, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Steve Pastor maintained.
“These bus units will better accommodate commuters who will now use the new loading and unloading bus stops in the innermost lane of EDSA," he explained.
"Aside from the installation of canopies and lighting fences, we have also placed concrete barriers and steel separators on EDSA’s median lanes to ensure their safety and comfort,” he added.
So far, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has opened 31 traditional City Bus routes in Metro Manila and some 3,662 buses are currently serving them, Chairman Martin Delgra III reported.
The LTFRB has also opened other routes and approved more units of public transportation, including modern and traditional public utility jeepneys (PUJS), UV Express (UVE) vehicles, Point-to-Point Buses (P2Ps), Transport Network Vehicles services (TNVS), and TAXI services.
“For modern PUJs, 716 units have begun operating in 45 routes; while for traditional PUJs, the LTFRB has allowed the operation of an additional 4,498 units in 60 routes.
This brings the total number of authorized traditional PUJs to 12,443 in 126 routes,” according to Chairman Delgra.
“An additional 4 routes with 641 units have been authorized for UV Express, which totals to 1,621 authorized UVEs currently plying in 51 routes. While 364 units of P2P buses are operating in 33 routes, with 20,493 taxis and 23,776 TNVS ferrying passengers in the Metro.”
All units of road transport are still required to follow existing health guidelines and safety protocols provided by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-IED) to curb the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
All forms of road public transportation abide by the limited passenger capacity of 50% while maintaining physical distancing and sanitary practices.
The DOTr ensures that law enforcers and on-ground marshals monitor all public transport vehicles.
Commuters are required to wear face shields over their face masks .