The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will add new bus routes starting tomorrow, June 5. This move aims to help more employees get to work, as businesses have resumed operations under general community quarantine (GCQ).
Starting June 5, buses will have three new routes: Monumento-Balagtas, EDSA-Montalba, and the NAIA Loop routes, said DOTr Undersecretary Goddess Libiran. Three more routes will be added starting June 8: Monumento-BGC, Gilmore-Taytay, and Monumento-San Jose Del Monte.
The LTFRB will meet with bus operators in order to determine how many buses will be deployed per route.
Buses returned to EDSA on June 1 to accommodate the influx of passengers going to work. However, due to social distancing measures implemented, buses cannot be filled to full capacity, leaving some commuters waiting for longer periods of time just to get a ride.
The almost 2-month long quarantine saw the suspension of all mass transport systems, as heavily packed trains, buses, and jeepneys can hasten the spread of COVID-19.
This period has given transport authorities time to review the country’s transport system, as well as come up with new routes and traffic schemes to decongest EDSA. According to the DOTr, they are assessing the traffic situation every day and adjusting accordingly so the country’s transport systems can slowly restart operations under GCQ.
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NOTE: This story originally appeared on Reportr.world. Minor edits have been made.
