Extending the set-up to the entire week.
On Saturday, October is 18, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) began deploying three 4-car trains, which is said to be part of the line’s efforts to improve passenger convenience.
This new set-up comes a day after Acting Transportation Sec. Giovanni Lopez ordered on Friday, October 17, the deployment of six four-car trains during rush hour in order increase capacity and shorten passenger buildup in stations.
Lopez noted, “Nakita ko mismo nung nag-commute ako na may mga stations na siksikan talaga, at minsan mahaba ang pila. Kaya nag-deploy tayo ng mas maraming 4-car trains para mas mabilis makasakay ‘yung mga pasahero natin.”
The 4-car trains can accommodate more passengers than the standard 3-car trains, as each train set can accommodate up to 1,576 passengers per trip.
“Pag-aaralan ng MRT-3 kung kaya natin itong gawin regularly, of course without sacrificing yung safety and the maintenance of our train sets,” he added on Friday.
The four-car set-up was first implemented after the Holy Week break in April this year. It was part of the successive reforms in the line’s operations, which included the indefinite extension of its weekday operating hours to serve late-night shift workers.