Transportation officials will now be required to use public transportation once a week to better understand the daily challenges of commuters.

In a memorandum issued Monday, acting Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Giovanni Lopez ordered officials in the road and rail sectors to regularly take public transport to and from their offices.

“These officials of ours in the Road and Rail sector, they are really the ones who should be going out regularly because most of our projects are in these sectors,” Lopez said.

The order, which will be implemented Wednesday, applies to a number of officials, including undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and the heads of several agencies, including the Land Transportation Office, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Philippine National Railways.

Lopez said the new policy would help officials develop more effective transportation projects and programs.

He added that officials in other sectors are also being encouraged to commute, stating that it is the “only way to truly see and experience the difficulties” commuters face.

Officials are required to submit weekly reports that include their observations, recommendations and action plans.

Lopez himself rode public transport to the office Monday morning to observe the situation and talk with commuters.