Nearly 3,000 drivers were flagged down by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority  (MMDA) during the first day of the weeklong dry run of the proposed high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) traffic scheme.

MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said on Wednesday that a total of 2,953 drivers were caught violating the new traffic scheme.

Garcia said that the traffic flow along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) during the morning rush hour was smooth as they conducted a dry-run.

“Nag observe tayo ng more than 30 mins, medyo maganda yung takbo during those hours (We observed for more than 30 minutes, the flow of traffic was smooth during those hours),” Garcia said in a press conference.

He admitted though that the traffic situation along C5 was “tight” during the dry-run from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Nevertheless, Garcia said the MMDA might replicate the same policy in C5 but not during the same hours in Edsa.

Garcia then again encouraged the public to engage in carpooling to lessen the vehicles passing along the stretch of Edsa.

“We are not encouraging people to share ride with a stranger but with their family, neighbors, community,” Garcia said.

Despite criticisms from some senators, the MMDA still targets to fully implement the HOV policy by August 23.

Under the scheme, ‘driver-only’ vehicles are banned along Edsa from 7 to 10 a.m. and from 6 to 9 p.m. /ee –By: Faye Orellana –