‘Colorum’ buses can’t use southwest terminal

The Southwest Interim Provincial Terminal on Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City will be colorum-free, according to the MMDA. — MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is weeding out “colorum” (illegally operating) vehicles through the computerized management of buses transferring to the new temporary southwest terminal in Pasay City.

The Bus Management and Dispatch System (BMDS), first implemented in Quezon City terminals in 2013, is a database aimed at regulating the number of passenger buses on the road.

It also contains the information of registered drivers, including their unsettled traffic violations.

“You have to be on the system. Before you transfer, we stencil the chassis and engine number to make sure the vehicle has a valid registration and [is] not colorum,” Bong Nebrija, MMDA supervising officer for operations, said on Sunday.

Drivers with unpaid penalties will not be allowed to ply their routes.

Some 200 buses have already transferred from the old terminal at Coastal Mall in Parañaque City to the new terminal at HK Sun Plaza on Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City. The Southwest Interim Provincial Terminal (SWIPT) can accommodate more than a thousand buses from Cavite and Batangas.

After the terminal’s soft launch on Friday, the MMDA reiterated the flow of traffic for city and provincial buses.

City buses coming from Edsa southbound should turn right on Macapagal Boulevard and enter SWIPT to unload passengers, then exit by turning right on Roxas Boulevard toward BMDS Coastal Terminal.

Upon dispatch, the city buses should exit BMDS Coastal via Macapagal Boulevard and turn right on Seaside Drive (MIA Road) then turn left on Roxas Boulevard, right on Edsa and on to their authorized route.

Provincial buses coming from Coastal Road/Roxas Boulevard should turn left on Edsa Extension then right on Macapagal Boulevard and enter SWIPT to unload passengers. –By: Erika Sauler