Pilot testing set for EDSA express bus scheme

At least 50 express buses will start serving commuters on March 16 as government agencies, led by Department of Transportation and Communications ( DOTC), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) pilot test the passenger buses from Fairview in Quezon City to cities of Pasig and Makati.

During the month- long pilot testing period, the express bus will be dispatched from two routes: Fairview to Ayala central business district; and Fairview to Ortigas in Pasig City.

Buses will pick up passengers at the MMDA’s bus dispatch terminal and Tandang Sora and will drop passengers off at the Ayala CBD, and vice versa.

The shuttles will be dispatched at an interval of five minutes starting at 6a.m. and hopefully will be able to make full turnaround within 20 minutes to maintain the desired five-minute interval all throughout its operation.

Each stop to drop- off and pick-up passengers will last for fifteen seconds only.

DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said express buses, all air-conditioned units, will be exempted from the number coding scheme, allowed to use the tunnels, flyovers along EDSA.

“The express buses will be observing time, intervals and schedules,” said Abaya, after a meeting with the concerned agencies.

If the express bus will be successful, it could be an alternative mode of transport aside from the Metro Rail Transit, which has several stops, Abaya added.