‘High-occupancy vehicle’ lane on EDSA sets test run

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will test run on Monday what it calls the “high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane” that will give private vehicles with two or more passengers the privilege of using exclusively.

The implementation of the HOV lane was approved by the Metro Manila Council in lieu of the odd-even scheme, which was shelved anew pending more study on how the scheme could improve traffic condition in the metropolis.

Jojo Garcia, MMDA assistant general manager for planning, said the traffic easing measure hopes to encourage motorists to share a ride with others by providing them exclusive lane.

The designated HOV lane will be the innermost lane of EDSA, closest to the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) wall.

Starting Monday, Dec. 11, vehicles with single occupancy would be barred from traversing the HOV lane.

“HOV vehicles are still subject to existing number coding scheme,” said Garcia, in a press briefing on Wednesday.

By introducing the ride-sharing measure, Garcia said they are hopeful to decrease by 30 percent the number of private vehicles traversing EDSA, citing that 70 percent of the vehicles in Metro Manila with only a single occupancy or with only a driver inside.

Admitting that the agency has no study yet, Garcia said they have yet to assess the effectivity of the measure in decongesting Edsa during the weeklong dry run.

Garcia said they have yet to discuss the measure with Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board that opposed to the MMDA’s plan to implement carpooling scheme.