Should the EDSA Busway flow be reversed?

Established back in 2020, the EDSA Busway, also known as the EDSA Carousel, is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system that’s meant to provide Filipino commuters with unhampered travel separate from private vehicles. 

Unfortunately, this initiative which is meant to provide relief to the masses is being exploited by unscrupulous individuals who see the dedicated bus lane as a means to bypass EDSA traffic. Recently, the most frequent offenders are private vehicles with fake protocol plates, prompting numerous calls for stricter enforcement in bus lanes and investigations into the owners of vehicles displaying these fake plates.

These violators are still at it even after the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority raised the fine to P30,000. Now, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has a new plan: allowing buses to counterflow on EDSA, using the designated busway.

In a recent interview, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista informed reporters that the DOTr is currently discussing plans to reverse the traffic flow in EDSA’s exclusive bus lane. Bautista noted that this change would likely deter unauthorized motorists from entering the busway, given the increased risk of potential accidents. 

Aside from deterring private vehicles from entering the bus lane, Bautista added that the proposal could enhance both convenience and safety for carousel bus commuters, as buses in a reversed traffic setup would align their doors directly with station platforms—unlike the current system, where passengers exit onto the road.

Bautista announced that commuters could see a new system on the busway implemented before the end of the year. The DOTr is currently coordinating with bus operators to finalize the details of the plan, and initial reports indicate that operators are supportive of the initiative.

Additionally, Bautista stated that the DOTr aims to limit the use of protocol plates for access to the busway. The agency is considering restricting protocol plate access to instances when an authorized official is actually being transported. Currently, only the convoys of the President, Vice President, Senate President, House Speaker, and Chief Justice are permitted to use the busway.

As this move is still being planned, it will be some time before we see it implemented into the EDSA Carousel busway. Hopefully, the DOTr’s planned changes can effectively deter the deviant drivers on EDSA.