THE Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) is running three additional trains starting Monday, raising its peak-hour deployment to 19 trains as commuters return to Metro Manila after the Undas holidays.
Transportation Secretary Vivencio Dizon said the added trains will carry about 6,000 more passengers a day, though he said ‘this is still not enough.’
‘I asked for three more trains on the MRT-3, that plies Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, Metro Manila’s Circumferential Road 4. That starts today,’ Dizon said.
‘That’s an additional 6,000 passengers a day. But that’s still not enough. We need to add more, but I first have to talk to our Japanese partners on how to do it,’ he added.
The 19-train peak-hour deployment on November 2 is higher than the line’s regular holiday deployment of 14 trains during non-peak hours and 16 trains during peak hours.
Of the 19 trains, 13 run in three-car configurations and six in four-car configurations, all using Czechia-made trains.
Dizon said the additional deployment was ordered ahead of the expected influx of returning passengers.
‘As of today, we’re adding three because our countrymen will be flocking back to commute starting tomorrow. So as early as now, we’ve asked for more trains,’ he said.
Dizon said he will meet with MRT 3 management to further increase the number of trains for the coming holiday season.
Dizon also ordered the immediate repair of escalators at the station that were found not working.
‘I saw that there are escalators here that are not working, so those are what we will prioritize. We will have them fixed quickly,’ he said.