DOST hybrid road train not applicable in Metro Manila

The new administration of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will no longer push the use of the hybrid road train in Metro Manila.

In an interview with the program “Get It Straight with Daniel Razon,” DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña said, the road train doesn’t fit Metro Manila’s thoroughfares especially in EDSA.

Dela Peña says the train needs dedicated or a priority lane for it to run smoothly at a maximum speed of 50kph.

The road train was launched by DOST in 2012 with a budget of 45 million pesos to solve the problem of worsening traffic in Metro Manila.

It has a series of 5 coaches of 40 meters long and can accommodate up to 240 passengers.

It took three years for the completion of the hybrid road train.

DOST is looking for other cities that can accommodate such design of public transport.

“To make the most out of it, we are looking for other cities that are willing to adopt because it is difficult to find adaptors here. We cannot push for it here,” Dela Peña said.

The newly installed secretary says DOST will maximize the utilization of the agency’s R&D products such as in health, transportation and in agriculture.

“The utilization is very limited. Like new technologies in the use of irradiated carrageenan for the strengthening of rice plant. There are municipalities adopting it and we want to expand in a larger scale.”

Meanwhile, DOST plans to procure new equipment like radars for more accurate weather forecast for the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Adminsitration or PAGASA.

The budget for 2017 is five times higher than the previous years and will be used to comply with the PAGASA Modernization Law. — Rey Pelayo / UNTV News & Rescue

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