EDSA Busway to operate 24/7 throughout December: DOTr           

The EDSA Busway will offer free rides to the public for 24 hours, seven days a week starting December 1 through 31, 2022, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr). 

Commuters can look forward to more free rides on the EDSA Busway for the month of December

In an announcement posted on its Facebook page, the agency said that the new operating hours were in line with Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista’s directive to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). This was in anticipation of the holiday rush as Metro Manila shopping malls extend their operating hours from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. 

“Ang inisyatibong ito ng DOTr at LTFRB ay paraan upang siguruhin na may masasakyan ang lahat ng ating mga pasahero beyond the usual operating hours sa EDSA Busway. Bukod sa hindi na nila kailangang isipin ang pamasahe, makasisiguro rin sila ng mabilis ang kanilang magiging pagbiyahe,” Bautista said.

(This initiative of the DOTr and LTFRB is a way to ensure that our passengers can avail of rides beyond the usual operating hours of the EDSA Busway. Apart from no longer having to worry about the fare, they can also be assured of faster travel.)

The directive is meant to anticipate the holiday rush now that malls have extended their operating hours

The LTFRB is set to issue a board resolution formalizing the directive among the EDSA Busway’s participating operators, who are working under the agency’s Service Contracting Program. 

“Malaking tulong ang 24/7 operations ng Libreng Sakay sa EDSA Busway sa mga nagtatrabaho sa mga BPO, call enter, at mga empleyado ng mall na pinalawig din ang oras ng operasyon. Makakasiguro ang mga pasahero sa carousel na meron silang masasakyan nang libre 24/7,” said LTFRB OIC-Chairperson Riza Marie Paches. 

(The 24/7 operations of the EDSA Busway free rides program will greatly benefit those working in BPOs and call centers as well as employees of malls that have extended their operating hours. Carousel passengers are assured of free rides 24/7.)

 
The DOTr will also beef up security at the busway stations

To ensure the safety of the commuting public, the DOTr through the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic or I-ACT will also bolster security operations once the EDSA Busway’s 24/7 operation gets underway. 

“Pangunahing konsiderasyon natin ay ang kaligtasan ng ating mga pasahero. Bago pa simulan ang 24/7 operations, paghahandaan na ito ng ating traffic enforcers mula sa I-ACT upang tiyaking magiging matiwasay ang pagsakay at pagbaba ng bawat komyuter sa EDSA Busway, lalo na ngayong inaasahan nating mas tataas ang ridership ngayong buwan ng Disyembre,” added DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor. 

(Our primary consideration is the safety of our passengers. Before starting the 24/7 operations, our traffic enforcers from I-ACT will prepare to ensure the peaceful embarkation and debarkation of each commuter on the EDSA Busway, especially with the expected increase in ridership this December.)

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