If you live north of Metro Manila, particularly Fairview and beyond, daily morning and evening traffic is a way of life. The MMDA has come up with some pretty clear information as to why there seem to be so many motor vehicles, specifically motorcycles and PUVs plying the highway, and it shouldn’t be so surprising. How many, you ask? Read on.
MMDA marks 15.55% increase in motorcycle volume, 33.01% rise in PUVs along Commonwealth
Photo: MMDA
We won’t even butter it up. These numbers, more so for PUVs, are really big. Based on data gathered from 2021 to 2022, we’re seeing real exponential growth in the volume of 2-wheelers and public utility vehicles. Granted, the pandemic has “relaxed” (but it’s looking to be on the rise as of late, so be careful!) and transportation has been “re”-mobilized, but wow, that’s a big number.
In 2021, the MMDA tallied a daily motorcycle average of 133,591 along Commonwealth Avenue. As for PUVs, they saw 7,619 on a daily basis. At the end of 2022, these numbers have risen to 154,369 and a staggering 10,134 for motorcycles and PUVs, respectively.
The implementation of exclusive lanes for both motorcycles and PUVs may help, but we have a few major concerns. First, in the wee hours of the day and night, when no MMDA enforcers are around, these motorcycles and PUVs do NOTÂ follow their lanes. Second, even with enforcers present, PUVs would break out of their lanes into the motorcycle lanes, and guess what happens? Motorcycles are pushed left into the car lanes and now, everyone has to stop while some swerve to the left to avoid hitting anyone else.
Commonwealth folks, you know this to be true.
Photo: MMDA
So what’s the point of this article? It’s good to have knowledge that explains why the traffic along Commonwealth is ceaseless. But more importantly, this information should be put to good use. How? That’s the number of motorcyclists and PUVs that you have to corral and herd into their proper lanes, MMDA (and other government traffic law enforcers).
Whether it’s an issue of a lack of proper enforcement, blatant disregard of the law by some drivers, or an actual flaw in the system, we have to remedy it, stat.
Fellow motorists, this is what we’re dealing with. Volume-wise, we already know that there are going to be traffic jams. But now, let’s hope that the powers that be make these numbers more relevant and useful by finding ways to get people to follow rules. And please don’t come at us with pitchforks because while it’s not included, we fully acknowledge that there are just too many private vehicles on the road as well. So yes, no blame game here, people.
