Better MRT 3? More trains deployed to ease congestion

MRT 3 management has increased the number of running coaches during peak hours to 20 from 18, boosting the line’s capacity to 20,094 passengers per hour from 17,730 previously.

This was ordered by MRT 3 officer-in-charge Honorito Chaneco, who stepped in after former MRT 3 General Manager Al Vitangcol III left in June. Vitangcol was accused of incompetence and corruption prior to his removal from office.

“One of our first actions was to deploy these additional coaches. This necessarily included an adjustment to train timetables, which took about a week to do. We also began implementing the skipping train scheme, which we have been doing for LRT 1 and 2,” Chaneco said in a statement.

The “skipping train scheme” means certain trains go straight to congested stations once MRT 3 management deems necessary. The new scheme replaces the “MRT Express Train Service,” which was tested in May.

The MRT 3, which traverses EDSA and has stops in many of the metro’s key business centers, has been plagued by congestion and mechanical problems. – Bea Cupin/Rappler.com