The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is considering the gradual phase-out of the EDSA Busway as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) expands the capacity of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) system, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said Wednesday.
Speaking at a Palace briefing, Artes confirmed that discussions have taken place about shifting bus passengers to the MRT once upgrades are completed.
“The DOTr is currently expanding the carrying capacity of the MRT by about 30%. Right now, each train set has three cars per trip, and they are adding a fourth car. They are also working on infrastructure to accommodate the longer train sets,” Artes said.
He added that reducing the train system’s headway—or the time between train arrivals—was also being considered to accommodate bus passengers.
“If the MRT can take in bus carousel passengers, it would free up an entire lane on EDSA. One proposal is to repurpose that lane for high-occupancy vehicles, similar to carpool lanes in Los Angeles, where only vehicles with three or four passengers can use it,” he explained.
When asked why the government could not maintain both the MRT and the EDSA Busway, Artes argued that the two systems serve the same route and that the MRT offers more advantages.
“If passengers can be accommodated by the train, we don’t see the need for the buses. The MRT has more stops, and the DOTr is also working on a seamless transfer system that will connect MRT to LRT-1 and other train lines,” he said.
The agency believes that streamlining mass transit will lead to faster travel times and ease congestion.
“This is not about prioritizing private cars,” Artes said. “But if the MRT can handle the bus passengers, then we can free up space on EDSA. That’s one more lane available for vehicles, which will help ease traffic.”
While acknowledging that buses move more people than private cars, Artes reiterated that efficiency was the priority.
“This is not about favoring cars. It’s about practicality—if the MRT can do the job, why maintain both systems?” he said.
There is no set timeline yet for the phase-out, as it depends on the completion of the MRT upgrades and the efficiency of the train system’s expanded capacity.
“This will only happen once we see that the increased capacity and interconnectivity of the train system can fully accommodate former bus passengers,” Artes said.
Meanwhile, the MMDA confirmed that the ongoing rehabilitation of EDSA includes improvements to the EDSA Busway.
“If a portion of the busway is affected by construction, buses will be rerouted temporarily, but we will ensure minimal disruption to passengers,” Artes said.
When asked whether the government still planned to add new busway stations, Artes cited space limitations.
“There are areas where we simply cannot build more stations because there’s no space in the median,” he said.
“That will have to be studied further by the DOTr,” he added.
The MMDA’s plans signal a major shift in Metro Manila’s public transportation landscape, with an emphasis on train-based mass transit over road-based bus systems.
