MRTC, DOTC: Enact These 7 Simple Measures to Improve the MRT-3 Commuting Experience

So with the promise of faster and more trains in the near future, the patience of train commuters has increased a little and we are hoping that tolerating the extensive waiting-time will last for only a short while now -- we are a little less desperate. But we still have long deserved high quality public transportation, and the changes we seek have only begun.

We acknowledge some of the ease that the new ticket-entry system has allowed the people with the stored-value card, let's point that out, it still takes just as long for single-journey tickets if they order from the teller because the amount has to be selected on the computer.

Still we want the following:

1. Please put batteries in the clocks! We want to know the time. Timeliness is an essential part of the transportation experience. One clock battery costs less than P100. Please put our ticket money here. If the clocks don't work, we deserve new clocks...please, the clocks have not been working for more than 2 years now.

2. Please attach more hanging hand-holders towards the center of the train. One reason everyone crowds around the door, whilst there is space in the middle, but no one moves is because everyone gathers where they can hold on. If there are more handrails in the middle, about 200 extra people per train can get on during rush hour. People need to move to the center to share the limited space.

3. Please instruct your guards to direct alighting traffic the systematic way in standard of world train passenger traffic systems. Passengers about to get into the train should line-up diagonally on either side of the door. The passage directly perpendicular to the door should be left free for passengers from inside the train to exit. (Looks like the yellow stickers on Araneta-Center Cubao station of the LRT-2.) This is how it is done anywhere else in the world where they have proper train station passenger traffic systems. On the MRT-3, the yellow stickers with arrows are a bit faded, and the guards don't direct the passenger traffic in the manner indicated by the arrows. Please manage the passenger traffic better.

4. In line with the idea of creatively making more space inside the existing trains for the meantime, why not open or remove the doors in that compartment room at the front of each train car? If that is done, considering perhaps a max of 5 people can fit in that space standing, that gives 50 more passengers a chance to get in the train. Every passenger counts, so please share with us that unused room at the front of each train car! We want more passenger space on the train.

5. Consider an improvement in baggage system. How much time is wasted opening the zippers of our bags, poking a stick in it, and closing the zipper? That is not even the most effective way to filter out dangerous baggage. We would much appreciate if an x-ray baggage scanner for each station entry be installed. This would speedy up things a lot, and also increase the effectiveness of preventing bomb threats. It's a little pricey, but we are already paying the money. And, for the record, we don't really like your sticks inside our bags. This is more civilized and respectful of passengers.

6. Lastly, please spend some money to educate some senior staff on train transportation science and traffic technology (esp. for DOTC), and then spread this training within the government and management system. The reason our transportation systems are so backward is because WE DO NOT HAVE LOCAL EXPERTISE. Also, our current trains are made by Japanese, could you in the meantime spend some money to educate a train technician of the MRT-3 in Chinese, so that we can invite and communicate with the Chinese technicians and engineers who know how to fix the trains to Metro Manila in the future, so that there is a chance in the coming years to fix the destroyed trains, and alleviate more of the congestion that has been causing so much stress to the commuters. Lack of transportation science expertise is the root of our problems. Please collaborate!

For the new ticket system that has been in place:

7. Please install a few of your ticket-selling staff or the guards to teach the passengers how to use the automated ticket vending machines, as the machines are useless in creating more efficiency if the general public are apprehensive to use it because they don't know yet how to work it.

Sincerely,

The Commuters

P.S. Some of the solutions for immediate alleviation we propose would be great to also apply to the LRT-1 Line, but we are most desperate about the backbone line which is MRT-3, suffering of osteoporosis. At this point, we wish that the other two lines will take LRT-2 line as a basic standard to aspire towards, where there is little congestion and a more organized station system. We hope that in the near future, Metro Manila's train systems will improve even more and that there will be newer, modern and more dependable lines added, because 3 lines is too few for a mega-metropolis. We still love the MRT-3 and we believe in Metro Manila's capacity to catch-up with the world's capitals in the long-run. Let's all be in this together. People in power, please share the plight of the common commuter.

 

The Current Background Story of the Common Train Commuter along EDSA

For six days out of the week, the whole year round, 600,000 Filipinos working in Metro Manila take a train, the MRT-3, that in all-honesty exhibits not speed but slowness, not transport efficiency but wasted hours, not modernity but backwardness. With the recent hike of the price commuters pay (e.g. from P14 from Monumento to Taft, to now P25) and the maneuvering room of the transportation subsidy from the government, commuters should have been able to experience a slight increase in comfort, perhaps faster trains, more trains, or even just batteries in the paper-covered clocks!

But no, the investment has gone at first to the increasing of foot traffic within the station by putting up the swift-tap card systems, which however at present alongside the older ticket gates, makes it take a few more seconds longer to enter and exit the station. We understand that the goal is to modernize the MRT-3 altogether, but the change management is poor. The sequence of improvements should be reviewed, and the short-term consequences of the these installments should be predicted and better managed.

In addition, for some reason, several trains in the same period of price-increase have been malfunctioning and as of last count, there were about 8 trains servicing 13 stations. It is elementary mathematics to figure out that should there be a train at every other station at least at any given point in time, there must be 14 trains serving the line or more. With the number of trains dwindling and trains suddenly conking out, I like many others have experienced a wait of nearly 2 hours during non-rush hour before getting on a train, or buying a P20 ticket only later to be told that there are no more rides at around 8pm and not getting refunded! It is much sadder to have to pay more for a worse service, or the entire lack of it at times.

Moreover, the level of congestion experienced when you do get into the train after waiting so long is inhumane! In the Beijing rush hour, though crowded and of higher volume there is still enough room inside the train for individual people to swing their arms of turn around. In Manila, there is negative space -- literally, as the people are crushing into your body, skin is in contact, and there is barely enough space to breath. It severely lowers the quality of life for the commuters, not to mention increases undue stress, takes away time from family and work, and ultimately is unproductive and a highly intolerable experience.

In the recent worsened state of the MRT-3, I estimate about 15,000 people wasting even more time waiting in line at the stations, and given that the average wait nowadays is 2 more hours, that is about 30,000 more human work hours, that could have gone to the economy or to social integrity, wasted by the city. That time could have gone to family or personal development, etc. A bad transport system lowers the quality of life of the people by so much. It should not be overlooked. Not to mention when people get to work, they are already stressed, when people get home they are even more stressed. Then they have to repeat the whole cycle each day. It is maddening. We are stressed and under-productive highly due to a major transportation conduit that is under-performing.

We understand that the MRT-3 is on the way to acquiring new trains, however those as reported will be installed several months from now. Imagine the months of suffering that more than half a million people have to go through till next year. We want some swift remedies at least, and we are already giving more money for the ticket, so we demand that these alleviation measures be implemented at the soonest. Thank you!