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It’s ready to roll.

“The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Friday said the scheduled pilot test of the EDSA ‘express bus’ system on Monday, March 23, is green and go,” reports Mike Frialde on Philstar.com.

According to the MMDA said the following bus companies have agreed to field buses during the pilot test of the system:



Kellen Transport Inc. Everlasting Transport Co. NAIA Metrolink Taguig Metro Link Bus Corp. ES Transport Inc. Jayross LS Tours Bus Co Inc. Fermina Express Corp. Worthy Transport Inc. Gloren Transport Service UBE Express (which will filed an articulated bus)

The report noted: “In a press briefing at the MMDA office, MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said 50 passenger buses to run on three routes would be ready to ferry passengers from Fairview to stations at the Makati central business district (CBD) and at the SM Mall of Asia. The pilot run of the express bus service will last for two months.”

The specially tagged “Express Connect” will operate daily from 4am to 10pm.

Those who are headed to the Makati CBD or the Mall of Asia simply need to board at the MMDA’s dispatch terminal in Fairview and at various terminals of the three routes.

ROUTE E1 (Fairview-Ortigas Avenue/Gil Puyat Avenue LRT station with 20 bus units) stations:

Fairview

Litex/COA

Batasan

Ortigas

SM Megamall

Ayala Avenue

Gil Puyat LRT station

Cultural Center of the Philippines parking area (Roxas Boulevard)

ROUTE E2 (Fairview-Ayala Avenue/Gil Puyat Avenue LRT station with 10 bus units) stations:

Fairview,

Litex/COA

Batasan

Ayala Avenue

Gil Puyat LRT station

CPP parking area

ROUTE E3 (Fairview-Ayala Avenue MRT station-SM Mall of Asia rotunda with 20 bus units) stations:

Fairview

Litex/COA

Batasan

Ayala MRT station

SM Mall of Asia rotunda

The report further pointed out: “Express buses are only allowed to stay for 20 seconds at the stations to pick-up or unload passengers. Commuters can expect an express bus arriving at each station every five minutes (during peak hours) and every 10 minutes (non-peak hours).”

The fares for the express buses will be the same as the ones charged by airconditioned buses.

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