Driver-only ban on EDSA covers private, public vehicles; test run starts Aug. 15

BOTH PRIVATE and public vehicles, except motorcycles, with just the driver on board will be banned from EDSA under the new High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes (HOV) policy.
Based on the guidelines contained in Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Regulation No. 18-005 published Monday, the HOV lanes cover EDSA from Balintawak, Quezon City to Magallanes, Makati.
“However, the crossing of EDSA at intersections shall be allowed,” the regulation states.
The ban will be in effect from 7 to 10 a.m. and 6 to 9 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Violators will be fined P1,000.
An HOV is defined as “all public and private motor vehicles except motorcycles with at least two (2) occupants, including the driver.”
The implementing rules and regulations for the policy’s enforcement will be drafted and issued by the MMDA.
A test run is set on Aug. 15-22, and full implementation will start on the 23rd.
“Let us see for one week how the HOV scheme will work. We are calling on the participation of the public,” MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo S. Garcia said in a press conference last Friday.
“With the proposed policy, EDSA will have 40% less vehicles,” he added.