By ANNA LIZA T. VILLAS
August 10, 2009, 5:59pm
Bus drivers plying along Epifanio de los Santos Ave. (EDSA) will face stricter measures following the plan of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to put up electronic timers equipped with cameras that will take photographs of bus drivers who linger at loading/unloading zones beyond their allotted time.
MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando announced on Monday that the agency is studying plans to have the electronic timers and traffic signal lights in the loading bays and intersections equipped with cameras that will automatically activate once a public utility bus (PUB) at the head of the line refuses to go after exceeding the designated time for it to load and unload passengers.
Each photograph will serve as traffic violation receipt and will be charged to the erring bus driver under the MMDA’s Non-Contact Traffic Apprehension Program (NCTAP), according to Fernando .
“As long as that driver refuses to move forward when his maximum allowed time to load and unload passengers lapses, the camera will continuously take photograph of the bus, multiplying his violations over and over again,” the MMDA chief explained.
Fernando said he has come up with this idea following the arrests of three MMDA traffic enforcers at EDSA-Shaw Boulevard intersection who were caught by the agency’s Task Force Honesty Team (TFHT) receiving P20 bribes from bus drivers and conductors in exchange for letting them stay much longer to pick up passengers.
The arrests stemmed from complaints by motorists concerning the long queues of buses at the perennially clogged intersection, which were traced to the “overstaying” buses that are being tolerated by the mulcting traffic enforcers.
The MMDA, Fernando pointed out, is exploring all technological possibilities to eradicate corruption among its personnel and at the same time further speed up traffic on Metro Manila’s roads.
“With the proper technology, we can eliminate human supervision in our intersections and minimize the interaction of the traffic enforcers and the drivers, which is the root of these illegal under-the-table settlements,” he stressed.
Fernando said motorists and passengers themselves can also act as the MMDA’s “secret agents” by covertly taking photographs or video footages of illegal activities of the MMDA personnel that they see in the street.
These photographs and footages are a big help to the MMDA’s anti-corruption campaign, he said.
“We are encouraging the public to help us rid the MMDA of these corrupt traffic personnel by immediately reporting to us any illegal activity they happen to witness. We will gladly accept useful information you will provide to us,” Fernando said.
The MMDA has put up electronic timers at the bus loading bays on EDSA and other major thoroughfares and intersections to prevent buses from lingering too much in loading/unloading zones and terminals and congesting traffic flow.
Manila Bulletin
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