Essential public transportation

The other week, DOTr Secretary Art Tugade gave an extensive report on the progress of his major projects in a Zoom meeting with the Management Association of the Philippines. It was impressive. Finally, we are moving.

I couldn’t help making the conclusion that Sec. Art is a vast improvement over from DOTr Sec. Jun Abaya. They had almost the same amount of time to work on their projects, they had the same bureaucratic rules and political interference to deal with, but Sec. Art is starting to deliver results.

Indeed, Sec. Art is completing projects former Sec. Jun should have completed the measly four-kilometer MRT2 Extension to Masinag in Antipolo with no right of way problem. The two North Rail segments to Clark are in full construction mode. PNR is modernizing its trains with new ones from Indonesia. MRT3 rehabilitation is about to be completed.

Various airport projects are being delivered, from Panglao in Bohol to the Bicol International Airport, among others. Perhaps completion would have been faster if they didn’t have to stop work when the COVID lockdowns were declared.

The one thing that Sec. Art still needs to do a lot of work on is EDSA traffic. That’s really MMDA’s responsibility, but DOTr policies and innovations greatly affect what MMDA can do.

The bus system had long been in need of a major fix. That was deemed impossible until the pandemic lockdown gave Sec. Art the opportunity to introduce reforms.

The most significant thing accomplished was the creation of the EDSA busway. And with it, the implementation of the service contract system which incentivized operators to agree to reforms that included abolition of the boundary system.

The busway dramatically dropped the amount of time commuters need to go from various points along EDSA. However car owners are not happy to crowd in the remaining lanes. That’s alright. We have to move more people than cars.

But DOTr and LTFRB have not succeeded in providing enough buses for commuters at all times of the day and night. I received a complaint from Jonathan See, a reader of this column, about the commuting situation at the EDSA Carousel bus lane on weekends, specifically at night.

“It has gotten to a very EXASPERATING point for us commuters already. Ever since the curfew start time was adjusted to 10 in the evening last May 1, I have encountered multiple instances wherein virtually no bus passed by the lane for almost (and sometimes, even over) an hour. This has forced me and the others in line to hail a cab.”

I thought the service contracting program would have handled this problem of scheduling buses. We have people who work all times of the day or night and need public transportation to move them.

A World Bank blog written last year correctly pointed out that “not everyone can work from home. Many people need to leave their home to earn income. And the provision of products and services remains dependent on workers getting to their jobs.

“Many of those who must continue commuting rely on public transport systems… Even during a pandemic, public transport remains the backbone of sustainable mobility and essential to economic recovery.”

Restrictions have been imposed on public transportation in line with measures needed to stop the spread of the virus. But the World Bank blog pointed out, “with the right measures, public transport can be COVID-safe.”

The blog cited “growing evidence that public transport riders do not face higher infection risk than anyone else.” Experiences in Hong Kong and Japan were cited. “Riders are usually alone and not talking to other passengers. And lately, they are all wearing masks.”

Also cited was “a recent study in France… that of the 150 infection clusters that appeared after reopening the economy, none could be traced back to public transport.”

Public transport being COVID-safe sounds counter intuitive. Someone who was recently in San Francisco told us that the BART was almost empty, but the streets are clogged with cars. People are choosing to keep their bubble by driving even if they used to take the BART.

But the World Bank blog advised: “For the sake of public health, economic recovery, and environmental sustainability, we must keep the momentum going to preserve the appeal of public transport.

“As long as the virus is here, transport providers must adapt their operations to minimize the overlap of the three Cs: closed and crowded spaces, and close contact situations.

“Proper ventilation is critical. Transport companies should instruct their drivers to open windows… The proper physical distancing between riders is another critical requirement…. Masks are effective at preventing the spread of germs in public transport.

“Still, there is a need to reduce occupancy rates and avoid crowding on transit vehicles…

“If cities are to decrease passenger density on public transport vehicles, they need to maintain frequent service…”

Also recommended are: “pop-up bus lanes” or bus priority lanes… “The New York Metropolitan Transit Authority, for example, has requested 97 km of new bus lanes in response to the pandemic.”

The New York Times recently had an article about many US cities realizing how essential public transportation is to the point that they are considering providing the service for free.

Workers who need to go to work, from health workers, workers in restaurants, supermarkets, drugstores and other essential services, and even frontline government workers need public transport.

But demand for public transportation also nosedived almost overnight, causing financial distress for public transport operators.

One solution is what DOTr resorted to: service contracting. The World Bank blog, however, warned that if subsidies like this are offered, the government “must set proper incentives to avoid service reductions and get operators committed to long-term improvements.”

That’s what Sec. Tugade must now make sure of. The complaint from my reader seems to indicate something is amiss. The problem may just be about simple scheduling, or something that must be tweaked with the new system.

I am hopeful Sec. Tugade will address that and other issues with our public transport system. Unless we have a good public transport system, economic recovery will be difficult.

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco