The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has rejected a proposal from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to allow carpooling on the EDSA Busway, citing the need to prioritize mass transit efficiency over private vehicles.
“The busway was designed primarily to move more people—not more cars—by providing fast and uninterrupted service to buses carrying up to 300,000 passengers daily,” Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said.
“Any move to open this lane to private vehicles, even under the guise of carpooling, will inevitably slow down bus operations and defeat the very purpose for which the busway was created,” he said.
While Lopez acknowledged the efforts of MMDA general-manager Nicolas Torre III to address Metro Manila traffic, he said the government policy should remain commuter-focused and pro-mass transit.
He said the EDSA Busway has proven to be an effective program for the majority and should remain exclusive to buses.
The EDSA Busway Project is a flagship initiative supported by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the MMDA. Since its inception in June 2020, the system has served a cumulative total of 341,307,843 passengers as of Jan. 15.
Lopez said the DOTr remains open to dialogue with other agencies and civil society organizations to develop holistic solutions to traffic congestion.
The agency maintains that keeping the lane exclusive is essential to enhancing the safety and accessibility of the region’s main thoroughfare.
