The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has formally opposed proposals to allow private vehicle carpooling along the EDSA Busway. The agency warned that such a move would undermine the busway’s purpose as a mass transport facility.
In a statement, Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez stressed that the EDSA Busway was designed to move people, not cars, by providing fast, uninterrupted service to buses carrying an average of 300,000 passengers daily. Lopez said opening the busway to private vehicles, even under a carpooling scheme, would inevitably slow bus operations and compromise commuter mobility.
The issue arose after an official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) was quoted as saying the agency was considering allowing large private vehicles, such as MPVs and SUVs, for carpooling. Lopez acknowledged MMDA’s efforts to ease traffic congestion but emphasized that national transport policy, following presidential directives, must remain commuter-focused and mass-transit, rather than car-centric.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) also backed the DOTr’s position, relaying support from various transport groups led by the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP). According to the LTFRB, these groups warned that allowing private cars to use the busway would undermine the EDSA Busway program’s intent. PBOAP executive director and spokesperson Engr. Alex Yague said the EDSA Carousel was designed exclusively for buses serving the commuting public at large.
Other transport groups echoed similar concerns. The Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP) President Melencio “Boy” Vargas said the proposal risks returning EDSA to severe congestion, affecting ordinary workers who rely on public transport. Meanwhile, Pasang-Masda National President Ka Obet Martin noted that the busway is a single lane and warned that additional vehicles would increase the risk of obstructions and delays, affecting a large number of commuters.
Despite its firm stance, the DOTr said it remains open to dialogue with the MMDA, other government agencies, and civil society organizations to develop innovative, holistic solutions to address Metro Manila’s traffic problems, provided these solutions prioritize commuters and mass transit.
Autocar’s Take
The DOTR’s opposition to allowing private vehicle carpooling along the EDSA Busway highlights a long-standing policy tension between car-oriented traffic fixes and mass transit efficiency. The transportation agency’s position aligns with the busway’s original rationale: maximizing passenger mobility within limited road space.
To us, the DOTr’s opposition to the carpooling proposal makes perfect sense, given the situation that the Metro Manila transport sector has been facing for many years. Allowing private vehicles, regardless of occupancy, risks diluting the EDSA Busway program’s reliability. Support from major transport groups reinforces the argument that public transport lanes perform best when they remain exclusive. The way we see it is the way any genuinely concerned road user would – any traffic solution that weakens a functioning mass transit corridor should be approached with caution, especially when commuters already benefit from its operation.
