Ateneo also offers shuttle services to homebound students, teachers

Traffic on Katipunan Avenue. INQUIRER file photo

ATENEO de Manila University (AdMU) will also offer a shuttle service for homeward-bound students and employees starting this week as part of efforts to ease traffic on Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, and on the campus.

MJ Mendoza, Ateneo head of security and transportation, told the Inquirer on Sunday that buses would leave the campus at 5:15 p.m. to bring passengers to the three drop-off points.

There will be just one bus per route: UP-Ayala Technohub, Temple Drive and SM City Marikina. However, more buses will be added should more students and Ateneo employees sign up for the shuttle service, Mendoza said.

AdMU, in coordination with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), is currently offering free shuttle services to Ateneo High School students and employees during the morning rush hour.

The free rides, which is on a two-week trial run, is in line with the MMDA’s ongoing efforts to ease traffic flow on major thoroughfares in cooperation with school officials.

On its first week of implementation last week, the Ateneo shuttle service was observed to have reduced congestion on Katipunan Avenue, reducing travel time to the university by almost 30 minutes.

“The service is entering its second trial period at the end of which, the Ateneo admin will decide on its fate. Given its success, the service will undoubtedly be made permanent but perhaps for a fee,” MMDA Traffic Discipline Office head Cris Saruca told the Inquirer on Sunday.

“There is also a big possibility that grade school pupils will also be included because the results and feedback were good,”

MMDA Chair Emerson Carlos said. “Hopefully, it will catch on and be used by others schools, establishments and institutions with a big population,” he added.

Based on the numbers presented by AdMU, only 39 students rode in the eight buses deployed on the first day of the shuttle service implementation. On the second day, the number climbed to 101 students. AdMU has yet to determine the average number of riders for the first week.

Saruca said there was also a plan to adopt the same shuttle service scheme for Miriam College and La Salle Green Hills. -Maricar B. Brizuela