Starting Monday, September 14, more commuters can be accommodated in public transportation units following the easing of physical distancing rules.
Physical distancing inside public transport units will be reduced to .75 meters between commuters. After two weeks, the distance will be reduced to 0.5 meters, and 0.3 meters after another half month.
The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved this proposal pushed by the Economic Development Cluster (EDC) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to increase ridership in public transportation by reducing the physical distance between commuters.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, who made the announcement today, Sept 11, 2020, noted “More workers are expected to return to their re-opened work places and more businesses are expected to resume operations stopped during the enforcement of strict quarantine measures.”
With strict health protocols now being enforced to contain COVID-19, such as the mandatory use of face masks and face shields by commuters, the 1-meter physical distancing measure being observed can be safely adjusted to allow for optimization of ridership.
Meanwhile, the EDC, in consultation with health experts, strongly supported the DOTr, and batted for the reduction of passenger physical distancing requirements in public utility vehicles to a minimum, provided that strict health and safety measures will be observed by commuters.
Such measures include the mandatory wearing of face masks, face shields, and barring passengers from talking or making phone calls while onboard public transport.
For railway lines, the expected increase in passenger capacity is supported by data based on physical simulation. Below is the “Adjusted Passenger Capacity of Railway Lines Based on Reduced Physical Distancing” per trainset:
LRT-1
1-meter: 155
0.75-meter: 204
0.5-meter: 255
0.3-meter: 300
LRT-2
1-meter: 160
0.75-meter: 212
0.5-meter: 274
0.3-meter: 502
MRT-3
1-meter: 153
0.75-meter: 204
0.5-meter: 255
0.3-meter: 286
PNR
1-meter: 166
0.75-meter: 184
0.5-meter: 256
0.3-meter: 320
Meanwhile, for class 2 modern PUVs and public utility buses, optimizing the physical distance between passengers inside the vehicles will mean that standing passengers may be accommodated.
As for airlines and passenger ferries, optimizing the physical distance between passengers will mean more passengers being allowed to enter airports and seaports.
This will also mean an increase in the passenger load capacity on roll on-roll off passenger vessels, as follows:
1-meter: 50%
0.75-meter: 75%
0.5-meter: 85%
0.3-meter: 100%
Reduced commuter physical
distancing approved
EMMIE V. ABADILLA
Starting Monday, next week, September 14, more commuters can be accommodated in public transportation following the easing of physical distancing rules.
Physical distancing inside public transport units will be reduced to .75 meters between commuters. After two weeks, the distance will reduce the distance to 0.5 meters, ending up with 0.3 meters after another half month.
The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved this proposal pushed by the Economic Development Cluster (EDC) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to increase ridership in public transportation by reducing the physical distance between commuters.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, who made the announcement today, Sept 11, 2020, noted “More workers are expected to return to their re-opened work places and more businesses are expected to resume operations stopped during the enforcement of strict quarantine measures.”
With strict health protocols now being enforced to contain COVID-19, such as the mandatory use of face masks and face shields by commuters, the 1-meter physical distancing measure being observed can be safely adjusted to allow for optimization of ridership.
Meanwhile, the EDC, in consultation with health experts, strongly supported the DOTr, and batted for the reduction of passenger physical distancing requirements in public utility vehicles to a minimum, provided that strict health and safety measures will be observed by commuters.
Such measures include the mandatory wearing of face masks, face shields, and barring passengers from talking or making phone calls while onboard public transport.
For railway lines, the expected increase in passenger capacity is supported by data based on physical simulation. Below is the “Adjusted Passenger Capacity of Railway Lines Based on Reduced Physical Distancing” per trainset:
LRT-1
1-meter: 155
0.75-meter: 204
0.5-meter: 255
0.3-meter: 300
LRT-2
1-meter: 160
0.75-meter: 212
0.5-meter: 274
0.3-meter: 502
MRT-3
1-meter: 153
0.75-meter: 204
0.5-meter: 255
0.3-meter: 286
PNR
1-meter: 166
0.75-meter: 184
0.5-meter: 256
0.3-meter: 320
Meanwhile, for class 2 modern PUVs and public utility buses, optimizing the physical distance between passengers inside the vehicles will mean that standing passengers may be accommodated.
As for airlines and passenger ferries, optimizing the physical distance between passengers will mean more passengers being allowed to enter airports and seaports.
This will also mean an increase in the passenger load capacity on roll on-roll off passenger vessels, as follows:
1-meter: 50%
0.75-meter: 75%
0.5-meter: 85%
0.3-meter: 100%