MMDA lifts number coding for provincial buses and private cars

Just a couple of days before Christmas day, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced that it is suspending the number coding for both provincial buses and private vehicles. The number coding scheme is used to minimize the volume of vehicles plying on the road each day by restricting vehicles depending on the ending numbers on their license plates. 

The suspension of number coding for provincial buses is in effect today, December 21, 2018, up until January 2, 2019, while private vehicles are immune to number coding from December 24, 2018 to January 2, 2019. If you can recall previous actions done by MMDA in the past years, this isn’t the first time the agency is doing this. The number coding scheme is being lifted during the Holidays, especially between Christmas Eve and New Year. 

Meanwhile, a different report warned everyone about the impending carmageddon today, December 21, 2018. As you may have noticed, it’s also the first day of no-number coding for provincial buses. This should give everyone a clearer picture on how heavy the traffic is going to be. The expected heavy traffic, as MMDA claimed, is due to people going to provinces to spend the Holidays.  

Take note that the number coding suspensions are only for provincial buses and private vehicles. MMDA gave no further details on whether or not it is lifting the number coding scheme for other PUVs in the succeeding days.  

Photo courtesy of Ramon FVelasquez.