Double-decker buses won't ease EDSA congestion

The deployment of double-decker buses along EDSA congestion is not expected to ease the situation, according to a traffic analyst.

The Metro Manila Transport Corporation deployed around 20 double-decker buses from Britain on EDSA during the 1980s, but was eventually discontinued due to high operating costs, said Transport and Traffic Management Consultant Engr. Rene Santiago.

“Yung double-decker sinubukan na yan nung 1981 ng Metro Manila Project Corporation, nag-import sila ng British double deck. Nung itinakbo-takbo nila, nahirapan silang i-maintain kasi yung operating cost nya mas mataas so napilitan sila ihinto yun,”

(The Metro Manila Project Corporation already tried to deploy imported double-decker buses but was later abandoned because the cost was higher compared to normal buses.)

“I think more than 3 or 4 years ago, may nag-test ng panabigong double-decker, biglang nawala, (More than 3 or 4 years ago, another dry run for double-decker buses was launched, but was discontinued anew),” Santiago added.

The analyst said that for every double-decker, we should remove 2-3 buses.

“Ang malaking problema talaga dun yung traffic sa EDSA, hindi sya makatakbo nang tama, kung dadagdag mo yun at di mo babawasan yung bus, e malaking problema, (The real problem is the EDSA traffic jam, the double-decker will not be able to operate properly, also if you will add double-decker buses and not reduce the number of normal buses, it will become a big problem as well),” he ended.