Uber suspension helped ease traffic–MMDA chief

A scheme called “congestion pricing” is being studied as a way to ease traffic flow on the country’s busiest highway. —NINO JESUS ORBETA

Traffic flow in the metropolis became slightly better after Uber was suspended by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) earlier this month.

Citing reports he received, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Danilo Lim said on Thursday that the traffic situation eased by about five percent.

However, it still has much room for improvement, he added.

“Based on what we’ve heard, it seems traffic improved slightly. Because the problem really in Metro Manila is [volume] of vehicles,” Lim said in a press briefing at Malacañang.

While the number of vehicles has been increasing, the road network has not expanded at a similar rate, he told reporters.

“Of course, our traffic situation is still bad, but [Uber’s suspension] helped in some way,” Lim said.

The LTFRB suspended Uber’s operations starting on Aug. 15 for defying its order to stop accrediting and accepting more drivers pending a review of regulations on transport network companies like Uber and Grab.

Uber, which has some 66,000 drivers in its network, has a pending petition to lift its one-month suspension and in exchange, it would pay a P10 million fine.

The suspension affected only about 40 percent of Uber’s drivers since 60 percent of them were at the same time registered with Grab, LTFRB chair Martin Delgra said earlier.

The LTFRB has also allowed Uber drivers to migrate to other ride-sharing services.

Asked about adding more taxis on the road which the LTFRB was considering, Lim said he would support it if the agency thought it was the right thing to do.

“What is important is whether they are taxis or Uber or Grab, that they follow the impositions of LTFRB,” he added.

Lim also said the government was on the right track in implementing a massive infrastructure project, including improving the country’s road network.

At the same time, the MMDA was making sure to impose road discipline and enforce laws to improve the traffic situation. -Leila B. Salaverria