Ridership on the Edsa Busway rose 24 percent to 21.5 million in January to April this year from 17.3 million in the corresponding period last year, an agency of the Department of Transportation said.
Plans are afoot to expand the service with the deployment of additional 183 buses, the DOTr Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (DOTr-SAICT) said on Thursday.
The DOTr-SAICT data released on Thursday showed a steady rise in the EDSA Busway ridership: by 42 percent to 2.5 million in January; by 26 percent to 4.9 million in February; by 41 percent to 5.5 million in March, and by a modest 2 percent to 5.6 million passengers in April.
With 317 buses operating daily, DOTr said it plans to expand to 500 bus units soon. It claims a reduced travel time of 45 minutes to an hour from Monumento to Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX). The Busway has 23 stations where passengers exit or enter a bus of their choice.
The DOTr-SAICT, supported by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), vowed to ensure smooth transportation along EDSA.
SAICT operates around the clock, with the Command and Control Operations Center (COCC) ensuring real-time monitoring and rapid response to issues. Bus operators face rigorous oversight to maintain safety and punctuality.
From January to April 2025, SAICT issued 3,473 Temporary Operator’s Permits (TOPs) to busway violators, collecting P4.9 million in penalties.
Additionally, 155 colorum vehicles, unregistered public utility vehicles, were impounded, resulting in P37.4 million in fines.
The contract requires the project to be completed within one year, three months for the design phase, and nine months for the build phase, upon issuing the notice to proceed to the contractor, the DOTr said.
