(Eagle News) — The management of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 on Thursday, Jan. 24, said it would study the proposal to extend the operation of its trains for two more hours.
“We will study the proposal given the changes in the current MRT-3 ridership profile as compared to when the extended hours was tested in the past,” the MRT-3 said in a statement.
It added, however, that “while we echo our pledge of providing a quality, fast, and reliable service to our commuters, we also need to consider that our two-decade old trains need to have sufficient time for preventive maintenance works.”
It said as it is, preventive maintenance works for the trains are done in four hours.
“We wish to stress that a regular and efficient preventive maintenance works help ensure smooth train operations, as well as prevention of unloading incidents and service interruptions,” it added.
Earlier, the Department of Transportation said it would study the proposal to extend the operating hours of the MRT-3, which at present operates until 10:30 p.m., and of the Light Rail Transit, which operates until 10 p.m.
The DOTr issued the statement after Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, also the chair of the House committee on Metro Manila Development, said extending the operations of the MRT and LRT would help ease road congestion and help affected commuters get relief from heavy traffic.
He said a large number of commuters, especially those going home from work, has been crowding themselves in buses and jeepneys because of the “short operation hours” of the railway systems in Metro Manila. With a report from PNA
