ICT and traffic enforcement

Green light is on. You are stuck in the intersection of Kamias and EDSA. The bus in front of you would not move. It remains oblivious to your horn. So you overtake and make your desired right turn just as the light turns red. An MMDA standing in the corner flags you. You lower your window in disbelief. As he blurts out your violation, you remind him of the obstruction made by the utility vehicle. He scratches his head and says that they run out of "tickets" daily from the sheer number of violations repeatedly committed by these drivers. Then he lets you drive off with a warning and a reminder to just use your horn.

I heard that MMDA is currently taking preparatory steps for the implementation of a program involving a tracking system to finally manage not only the traffic flow along EDSA but also to be able to apprehend violators of traffic regulations effectively.

The program entails providing every public utility bus with a tracking device that will allow MMDA to 1) regulate the number of buses to be allowed to remain running along EDSA at any given time; 2) detect unauthorized diversion from regular routes and yellow lane violations;
3) detect extended stays at would-be designated bus stops; 4) locate the buses for prompt apprehension; and more!

This excites me! With the forthcoming implementation of this program, we hope to see a decline or even a total eradiction of made-up violations on the part of enterprising traffic enforcers; a better record and preservation of evidence as to time, place and nature of violations; and a possible end to the customary "palusot" and denials on the part of the erring drivers upon apprehension.


- Marichelle B. Recio