Bus-tards part 2

EDSA-Ayala

While everyone is wondering about the next guy who will be stepping in the ring with Manny Pacquiao, another rematch is already in the works.

The MMDA seems to be issuing another challenge to bus operators and drivers as the said government agency seeks to revive the Radio Frequency Identification project.

According to Ms. Rochelle Macapili of MMDA, the RFID system is designed to help control the dispatch of bus units at terminals, limit dwell times at bus stops, effectively enforce franchise and traffic rules, and stop arbitrary trip-cutting and out-of-line operations.

And as if one opponent is not enough, the DOTC is also bringing up talks of imposing additional volume reduction schemes for jeepneys. And since DOTC will most likely tie up with MMDA to enforce such policy, if ever it pushes through, you bet that jeepney drivers and operators will take out their disappointment on the more accessible target: the boys in blue.

I hope MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino watches a lot of WWE. If this keeps up, it’ll be like a handicap match: MMDA versus PUBs and PUJs.

Now, I’ve shown my support for the implementation of coding scheme on buses. After all, these monstrosities occupy space fit for three cars, you can only imagine how much problems they cause once they make an inappropriate stop along the road, caused by some waving passenger, involvement in a vehicular accident or mechanical trouble.

Good thing about this bus coding scheme is that it immediately paid off. Some major roads like Commonwealth Ave. are noticeably enjoying lighter traffic situations nowadays. Just don’t bother asking about EDSA. It’s always an exception.

Commonwealth Ave.

The P-Noy administration is serious about solving traffic problems in the country. It kicked things off by apprehending ‘colorum’ buses. And then it implemented the coding scheme on buses. Still, traffic along EDSA remains the same.

Is it me or do P-Noy and the MMDA fancy buses?

I ain’t backing out on my opinion. I am still in favor of the coding scheme on buses. But buses aren’t the sole cause of all these traffic jams. They’re just part and not entirely the problem.

And no, it’s not the jeepneys. Again part, but not the entire problem. Jeepneys, like buses, tend to cause heavy traffic when they stop in a particular place for a long time to pick up commuters. But they are already affected by the coding scheme. What else can be done about them?

Besides, they (PUJs) rarely clog up EDSA. Once you find one along the said road, it’ll soon disappear into some alley or minor road. And that’s where PUJs cause traffic – minor roads.

So what else could be clogging up EDSA? How about private vehicles?

Just take a look at the snapshots of major roads in this piece and you’ll notice that private vehicles outnumber public utility vehicles.

North Ave.

And while the MMDA offers an acceptable solution to the reduction of private vehicles on the roads with the implementation of an odd-even scheme, the mayors of Metro Manila oppose this idea. And why should they? Aside from government owned vehicles at their disposal, these guys probably own lots of private vehicles.

Here’s the thing. There’s a possibility that the private vehicles are the major cause of congestion in our major roads. Go talk to commuters and the drivers of PUVs, and most of them say it is so. Of course, private vehicle drivers would return the blame back to PUVs if you go asking.

But enough about pointing fingers. All I’m saying is why is it that the government is doing so much to control PUVs but it seems that none is being done about the private vehicles?

This notion somewhat gives off a sense of injustice, as if the law is strictly enforced on the poor and the masses while those with money and power are spared from it.

Of course it ain’t the fortunate’s fault that they are lucky and have abundant cash in their bank accounts. We can’t blame them if they can afford to buy vehicles, perhaps, one for every member of the family - one for dad, one for mom, one for their son, and another for their daughter. Wow! That’s four cars, each with only one passenger aboard.

And that’s why the odd-even scheme makes sense.

Because people with money have a way of going around the law and can hardly feel the number coding scheme if they own multiple vehicles with plate numbers ending in different numbers. Ergo, no vehicle volume reduction takes place.

Because the masses who take PUVs are inconvenienced by the few fortunate who go for a ride on board private vehicles that are possibly causing heavy traffic in a certain area.

Because supporting PUVs is more helpful to the environment. A PUJ that has 20 passengers emits the same amount of smoke a private vehicle with one passenger does. So why not force that one person to join the other 20 so they can decongest roads and clean up the air together?

And though some middle class family owns just one vehicle, I’m sorry, but the law applies to all or none at all. We have to make sacrifices. Commuters do. PUV drivers do. How about the well-to-do?

It’s high time that the government makes sure that law starts working for the majority and not the minority.

MMDA cleaning up Sampaloc, Manila

And while we’re talking about decongesting, I’d like to laud the MMDA for doing something about those clogged drainages. Like I said, predicting when heavy rain will come ain’t gonna stop flash floods from occurring. And it’s not like were being hit with Ondoy-like rains everyday. Even drizzles are causing floods in some places.

At least MMDA is doing something about flood prevention unlike the DPWH which is too busy renovating roads that don’t need any improving.