LTO monitoring EDSA bus lane violators

Land Transportation Office chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor Mendoza II on Monday said he has ordered the deployment of additional personnel in some areas of the EDSA Bus Carousel amid rampant violations of motorists.

Mendoza directed the LTO-National Capital Region to identify the operator and the driver of a taxi that blocked several buses when a 19-inch flood hit the Camp Aguinaldo Gate 3 portion of EDSA on 23 September.

Aside from that, Mendoza said they are now conducting investigation into the incident wherein a motorist almost hit a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority traffic enforcer while trying to escape after he was caught using the EDSA Bus Carousel lane last 21 September.

"It's becoming a habit for motorists to use the EDSA Bus Carousel. We recognize the limited manpower of the MMDA to strictly enforce and while the LTO has the same problem, we will tap some of our enforcers to reinforce our brothers in the MMDA in keeping an eye on the EDSA Bus Carousel," Mendoza said.

"We assure immediate action against violators," he added.

Mendoza said the office of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista was already informed of the request of the MMDA.

The MMDA has repeatedly warned motorists that no private vehicles should use the EDSA Bus Carousel lane or the innermost lanes of EDSA that has been reserved for city buses and vehicles being used for emergency response like ambulance, fire trucks and police cars.