MMDA suspends truck ban exemption passes

MANILA, Philippines -- The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has ordered the indefinite suspension of all previously issued truck ban exemption passes pending the completion of an evaluation and assessment to be made by the agency in coordination with the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT).

 

In a Memorandum Circular dated September 1, 2016, MMDA General Manager Thomas Orbos, acting chairman, ordered the suspension of the passes and called on all trucking firms and operators to observe the truck ban routes and window hours.

 

However, the MMDA memorandum circular does not cover trucks running under the Terminal Appointment Booking System (TABS), which books trucks in advance for the delivery of goods going in and out of the Port of Manila.

 

It would be recalled that the Special Traffic Committee of the Metro Manila Council, the policy-making body of the MMDA composed of the 17 mayors of Metro Manila, earlier issued Resolution no. 3, authorizing the MMDA to “exclusively issue truck ban conduct passes to all truckers outbound and inbound Metro Manila.”

 

The MMC also passed several resolutions to regulate the use of major thoroughfares by truckers, including the implementation of the One-Truck Lane Policy along C-5 Road, Katipunan Avenue, Congressional Road, Mindanao Avenue and R-10 Road. 

 

The I-ACT, which was formed as a traffic management superbody for Metro Manila, is composed of representatives from the MMDA, the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group and the Department of Transportation.