MRT commuters can now access internet through EDSA Free Wi-Fi Project

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Free internet access in public areas can now be experienced in EDSA 

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) leads the inauguration of the ‘EDSA Wi-Fi’ project for commuters along EDSA to foster connectivity and improve public access to the Internet. 

The NTC’s National Capital Region Office conducted internet speed tests via OOKLA on July 6 to 7, which showed average download and upload speeds of 156.6Mbps and 135.8Mbps, respectively.

The highest recorded download speed was 325.48 Mbps in Ortigas station and the highest recorded upload speed was 310.57 Mbps in Magallanes station.

In stations with the most number of commuters, namely Taft Avenue, North Avenue, Cubao, Ayala and Shaw Boulevard, the monitoring report indicated that download speed ranged from 106 Mbps to 208 Mbps, while upload speed hit 82 Mbps to 167 Mbps. 

Started with airports in key cities approximately 230,000 commuters are now benefiting from EDSA Free Wi-Fi Project in 13 Metro Rail Transit Line 3 stations.

Working with the DICT on the EDSA Free Wi-Fi project are the NTC, the DOTr MRT 3, Metro Rail Transit Development Corp., Light Rail Transit Authority, Light Rail Manila Corp., Metro Manila Development Authority, Department of Public Works and Highways, Manila Electric Co., Philippine Reclamation Authority, the local government units of Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasay and Quezon City, A&A, PLDT-Smart and Globe.

Extended MRT-3 Operating Hours to Be Tested by DOTC

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To give the public another option to beat traffic, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Metro Rail Transit III (MRT-3) Office will extend the operating hours of the metropolis’ most utilized urban rail transit system starting on 24 February 2014.

The longer hours of service will be tested for one month to determine whether it will be viable in the long run. 

“This is part of our program to mitigate the traffic situation. Based on the test run, we will monitor how much passengers are willing to alter their riding habits by commuting earlier in the morning or later in the evening. We will also see whether this will encourage motorists to take the train instead of their cars,” said DOTC SpokespersonMichael Arthur Sagcal. 

Currently, the rail system’s regular hours of operation are from 5:30am to 10:30pm. For the first 2 work weeks, or from February 24 until March 7, the MRT-3 Office will start operations at 4:30am from the North Avenue station and 5:00am from the Taft Avenue station. 

In the 2 following work weeks, or from March 10 to 21, it will also extend the evening runs up to 10:30pm from the North Avenue station and 11:00pm from the Taft Avenue station, in addition to the earlier opening hours. 

After the 4-week testing period, the MRT-3 Office will make its recommendation to the DOTC on whether the extended operating hours may be regularized, based on its impact on commuters, daily train maintenance requirements, and the additional cost of operation. 

“Our limitations are on maintenance and costs. For maintenance, the coaches have to be checked every night to ensure safety. It seems that we will be able to shorten the turnover process without compromising actual maintenance hours. As for costs, the testing period will allow us to project how much more we need to spend to make it sustainable over time,” Sagcal explained. 

“As always, we are looking for ways to serve the public better. We want to deliver convenient, efficient, and safe transportation options, especially with government’s push to improve infrastructure over the next few years,” he added. 

The DOTC has previously announced that the Philippine National Railways (PNR) will begin its Special Coach service to ply the Tutuban to Sta. Rosa route as another mitigating step to help ease traffic. Together with the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), it is now also finalizing options through which LRT Lines 1 and 2 can accommodate more travellers who will be affected by the various construction works in Metro Manila.

dotc.gov.ph

DOTC: Brand new MRT coaches may help ease traffic by 2015

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With Metro Manila traffic expected to worsen further over the next few years due to the implementation of multiple infrastructure projects, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is hoping that it will finally be allowed to add 48 brand new Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) to the Metro Rail Transit III (MRT-3) system at the soonest possible time.

“We hope that the order preventing us from adding brand new LRVs will be lifted immediately, for the public’s sake. The DOTC will be able to increase MRT-3’s capacity within 2 to 3 years starting from the time that the court allows us to proceed. Since more passengers will be able to take the train, EDSA traffic should be mitigated considerably,” said DOTC Spokesperson Michael Arthur Sagcal.

The transport agency’s MRT-3 Capacity Expansion Project involves the purchase of 48 brand new LRVs through an open and transparent bidding process conducted last year. After the contract was awarded to China’s Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Company in January, however, the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Makati issued a Temporary Order of Protection (TOP) to halt the process.

The Project will increase MRT-3’s trips per hour from 20 to 24, which will translate to a 60% increase in the number of passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD). This means that, from the current 23,640 people who can avail of the rail service every hour heading towards one direction, the Project will make it possible for 37,824 passengers to enjoy this convenience.

Currently, the rail line’s average daily ridership is already over 560,000, and its highest single-day passenger count is 620,000. The Project will not only help ease the gridlock on EDSA, it will also make the MRT-3 experience much more bearable for its riders.

Sagcal clarified that “the Project will take 2 to 3 years to complete because the LRVs will still be manufactured. A prototype will be tested on the system within 12 to 18 months, followed by the delivery of 3-4 units per succeeding month. This means that traffic decongestion can already start by 2015. All we’re waiting for is the court’s go signal.”

On 30 January 2014, the Makati RTC issued the TOP in favor of MRT Holdings II, Inc., which claims to own and control 100% of the Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC). MRTC owns the MRT facilities pursuant to its 1997 concession agreement with government.

MRTC’s Board of Directors has since confirmed that the filing of this injunctive suit was unauthorized, and the DOTC has pointed out that it has no contractual relationship with MRT Holdings II.

The transportation department believes that it has sufficient legal grounds to proceed with the addition of new LRVs in line with public interest. The Project is urgently needed after MRTC failed to add any LRVs to the rail system despite DOTC’s demands for it do so since 2007.

(From the Department of Transportation and Communications dotc.gov.ph)

SM Consortium confident to win light rail single ticketing project

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SM Consortium, led by SM Investments Corp. with members BDO Capital and Investment Corp., Advanced Card Systems Ltd. and Penta Capital Investment Corp., is confident of a favorable result in the ongoing financial evaluation of the MRT/LRT Automated Fare Collection System Project.

“With no cost to the government to build and modernize the ticketing system and a one-time concession fee of P1,088,000,000 to be paid to the government unconditionally, we believe that our proposal is most advantageous to the government and the riding public,” said Norman T. Pe, senior vice president of Penta Capital.

The Department of Transportation and Communication is now evaluating the proposals of the three bidders – AF Consortium led by BPI, SM Consortium and Comworks Berjaya Consortium – which passed the technical proposal stage. 

“SM, the country’s largest retail chain, will be able to maximize the potential of this innovation through the wide retail acceptance and other applications,” added Denny Wong, chairman of Advanced Card Systems Ltd of Hongkong.

The winning bidder will be announced before Dec. 24 and notice to proceed is expected to be issued in the third week of January 2014.

DOTC set to postqualify bids for 2 key projects for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT)

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Maintenance provider and magnetic ticket supply contracts at stake

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is about to conduct bid evaluation and post-qualification exercises for two key projects for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 System, namely: the P712-Million MRT-3 System Temporary Maintenance Provider Project and the P 25-million Supply & Delivery of MRT-3 Magnetic Ticket Project.

According to their report, after opening the eligibility documents of three groups which vied for the one-year Maintenance project on June 3, 2013, the DOTC’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) found only one proponent, Autre Porte Technique (or “APT”) Global, Inc., to have qualified for the next stages of the bidding process.

DOTC spokesperson Migs Sagcal said that APT Global submitted a bid in the amount of around P 685 Million. Financial proposals of the two other interested groups were no longer opened after they were found to be ineligible.

The disqualified groups were Asiaphil Manufacturing Industries, Inc. in Joint Venture with Korea Railroad, which did not comply with sealing and marking requirements of Republic Act No. 9184 (the Procurement Law); and Commbuilders & Technology Philippines Corporation, which failed to submit a certificate of satisfactory performance.

“Unfortunately, it once more came down to two groups’ failure to comply with the bid requirements. Time and again, we have said that the DOTC-BAC can do nothing but to follow the Procurement Law, which prohibits it from exercising discretion” Sagcal added.

As for the magnetic ticket supply project, only the current MRT-3 contractor submitted a proposal during the bid opening conducted on May 30, 2013. The Transport agency disclosed that Banner Plasticard, Inc. offered to supply and deliver 4,252,000 magnetic tickets to the DOTC-MRT3 in the amount of P 25 million.

The financial proposals of the eligible bidders for both projects will now undergo detailed evaluation, after which their bids will be subjected to postqualification exercises.

The relatively short duration of these projects—one year for the Maintenance contract and thirty (30) days for the Ticket Supply contract—is partly due to the eventual buyout of the owner of the MRT-3 facilities pursuant to Executive Order No. 126 issued by President Benigno S. Aquino III last March, as well as the transition to an Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS), now being bid out by the DOTC as a Public-Private Partnership Project, by the first quarter of 2015.

Source : dotc.gov.ph