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On the reduced traffic due to the energy crisis
The past weeks have seen traffic reduced along my usual routes for my commute between my home and workplace. This could be attributed to the energy crisis as, apparently, many have chosen to plan their trips and use other options other than private/personal transportation for their travels. The reduction in traffic is probably due to reduced numbers of private cars and motorcycles as people cut down on unnecessary trips. Of course, most schools are off at this time of the year so that means a significant number of trips are off the roads (and rails in the case of Metro Manila).
My travel time is only about 60 to 70% of the usual during peak hours. And about half during off-peak. That is a significant reduction in travel time and perhaps translates to not just reduced fuel consumption in general but also reduced emissions as well. On weekends, I also observed that there are less motorcycle traffic to and from Antipolo where I reside. I am referring to the groups who usually have their recreational rides during weekends. Did bicycle traffic increase? My observation is that there seems to be an increase for the weekdays but it’s about the same on weekends. Bicycles, after all, are not affected by the fuel price hikes. Perhaps people who can bike opt for the mode instead of their motorized vehicles? The only way to determine if indeed there were significant mode shift is to do surveys. But for now, careful observation not of traffic but travel times will suffice as proof of the easing of traffic due to the crisis.
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E-vehicles? Sana all!
The current energy crisis was brought about by the US waging a war against Iran, resulting in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Since much of the Philippines fuels come from the region and given the country’s dependence on oil from the Middle East, the limited supply led to steep increases in the price of fuels. One reaction to this was people suddenly purchasing hybrid and electric vehicles to replace their fossil fuel-powered vehicles, or as another vehicle in their garages. Sales of hybrid and electric vehicles surged the past weeks. However, this reaction among private vehicle owners only showed the disparity among people who struggled to find ways to commute mainly via public transportation or their only vehicle and those who can afford to own several vehicles.
One colleague joked that if you want to see what electric and hybrid models are available across various vehicle types (e.g., cars, SUVs, vans, etc.), you only need to travel along Katipunan. There you will see all types of hybrid and electric vehicles including the most popular ones to the more recent models. Many are SUVs and then there are the luxury brands somewhat being paraded by those who opt for them instead of the Chinese brands. Should we be happy for them? Maybe. Should we be envious? Maybe not. The standard defense for these purchases usually runs along the lines of the owners spending their hard-earned money. So let’s leave it at that. Let those who can afford to buy new vehicles do so if that’s their way of coping with the crisis. Meanwhile, we should lobby for better public transportation services and active transport facilities so the majority of people who need to travel can do so without having to buy their own vehicles.
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Some thoughts on PUV modernization in the context of the energy crisis
One can help but recall a lot of things past during slow days like those on Holy Week. I was able to write about memories of spending the Holy Week in Iloilo during my younger days. I myself spent most of my Holy Weeks there until after College. My annual “recharging” was only interrupted when I was abroad for three years in the late 1990s. I don’t recall now the last time I was there for Holy Week but perhaps it was after I got married more than 20 years ago. The recollection this week was not only about the sentimental stuff of my childhood and teen days. I couldn’t help but recall some of the work we did many years ago on trying to modernize public utility vehicles, particularly jeepneys.
I was involved in some DOTC (what the DOTr was then) programs and projects about 15 years ago where we sought to replace the old conventional jeepney engines with newer models. This was to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency. Electric jeepneys then were still crude in terms of motors and batteries though the body designs were patterned after the conventional jeepneys. They were not as viable as the current models available now. There were also few designs of modern jitneys or minibuses at the time. And jeepney operators and drivers groups indicated their receptiveness to engine replacement. So it was logical to consider engine replacement at the time. Unfortunately, some groups strongly opposed this leaving nothing accomplished from the time.
Fast forward to the present and now, it seems it was correct to at least propose engine replacement at the time. Jeepney engines could have been more fuel efficient aside from having less emissions. Of course, it is now moot and academic and the current crisis might just result in jeepney operators and drivers giving up on their pasada. There is the opinion that jeepneys have been coddled and romanticized for quite some time now (since the 1970s?). It is perhaps time to phase out old vehicles in favor of modern ones. A message to progressive groups though: let’s learn from the lessons of this energy crisis and help with pushing for modernization of road-based public transport. If its the prices of the new models that pose as barriers then lets find ways for more acceptable and affordable financing schemes. Should there be a variant of service contracting by national and/or local government? Find solutions rather than find ways to inhibit or prevent modernization. Throwing obstacles has cost commuters a lot in terms of time and money. Commuters deserve a more modern and efficient transportation system.
Modern jitney in Cebu
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How about a pop-up BRT along Commonwealth Avenue?
I posted this map on social media showing a possible route for a pop-up BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) along Commonwealth Avenue. This was inspired by the reports this week of the horrendous experience of commuters along this corridor due to the current fuel crisis. It seems that a lot of people have reduced their use of private vehicles in favor of what they thought was adequate public transportation only to find out how lacking the supply was.
While this route can be extended (all the way to Fairview via Regalado, for example), I think the one in the map below would be able to capture a majority of the commuters along the corridor with the end at Dona Carmen being a drop-off/pick-up area for those residing to the north. Quezon City Hall and the Elliptical Road is a no-brainer since the Quezon City Bus service terminates here and people can transfer to one of the other lines that will allow them to travel elsewhere covered by the bus network. Quezon City or DOTr can lease buses and come up with a service contracting scheme to sustain operations. The idea is to first run this pop-up BRT while the crisis in Iran is ongoing. Data collection and assessments should coincide with this to refine the service and perhaps, make recommendations for sustaining this service at least until MRT 7 gets online.
The idea of a pop-up BRT is not really new as there were “proof of concept” runs along Commonwealth and at BGC many years ago. Unfortunately, the BRTs never came to be in both cases; both now missed opportunities as we have come to realize. It’s still a long way before the MRT 7 is up and running. The recent announcement from the proponent that they will probably start operations next year is perceived by many as too late. Government, both national and local, need to be decisive if they want people to be able to go to their workplaces and schools. Maybe this is another opportunity for the more than 70% public transport users to be provided with the services they need while taking advantage of road space being freed up from car dominance?
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Some thoughts and reflections on transport and the Middle East crisis
Much has been said and written about the ongoing crisis brought about by the US and Israel attacking Iran and the latter retaliating. The prices of fuel have risen rapidly over the past weeks. Consequently, the prices of commodities have also risen. The Philippines is still very much dependent of fossil fuels for transportation with most travel using road-based transport. Even public transportation relies heavily on fossil fuels as buses and jeepneys are mostly using diesel engines. Even paratransit such as trikes and motorcycle taxis use gasoline.
While the energy mix in the country has become more diversified with renewables now having a substantial share, majority of power is produces using coal and natural gas. And so e-powered vehicles are also ultimately dependent on these fuels. Could we have had better transport that could have made our cities more resilient in light of the conflict in the Middle East? Probably, and if we followed and implemented the plans for mass transit systems that were laid out decades ago. Of course, this is already moot and academic given the current situation. The counterfactuals though point to better commuting conditions if projects have not been delayed or shelved.
A colleague and I were just discussing about how MRT 7 could have contributed to the reduction of car use along the Commonwealth Avenue corridor if it was completed according to the original schedule. That was 2019. Even with delays including the impact of the pandemic, it could have been completed a few years ago. If it was operational in 2023, commuters could have already shifted to rail from both private and public road-based transport modes. There was also actually a proposal for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line along Commonwealth about 2 decades ago. That could have been constructed and operational ahead of Line 7 and could have already disrupted commuting preferences along the corridor if it were operated as a true BRT.
There’s just a lot of opportunities already missed that could have alleviated the fuel crisis we have now. Maybe we are really heading towards a bigger crisis when all these price increases lead to a more sweeping increase in the prices of commodities? We hope it doesn’t come to that but we seem to be helpless in this situation where we are caught unprepared for a war we are have nothing to do with.
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On reducing deaths due to road crashes
Following is a link to an article on the increase in road crash-related deaths in Singapore. The city state prides itself as one of the safest places in terms of transportation yet road crash deaths recently hit a 10-year high.
From the article:
“Cellphone-related driving violations surged 39.1% to 4,193 cases, the report showed. Motorcyclists, who make up just 15% of Singapore’s vehicle population, accounted for 54.8% of all traffic accidents and 53% of fatalities.
Speeding violations jumped 25.9% to 253,550 cases, equivalent to roughly 695 motorists caught daily. While speeding-related fatal accidents dipped from 46 to 41, red-light running accidents surged 27.1% to 122, resulting in seven deaths. Drink-driving accidents fell from 166 to 156, but the number of fatal drink-driving accidents held steady at 12 in both years…
…”Road safety requires a culture of mutual respect and graciousness among all road users,” the police force said. “Simple acts of courtesy, such as maintaining a safe following distance of at least three seconds, giving way to pedestrians, reducing speed near junctions and being patient during peak hours, can create a better road culture.” “
What can we learn from Singapore’s experience? Are we capable and equipped to improve road safety in the Philippines? Can we be more courteous, respectful and gracious in the way we drive or behave as road users?
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On the dangers of drowsy driving
Here’s another quick share of an article on road safety. This one is about drowsy driving, which is said to be more dangerous than drunk driving. Drowsy here is equated to being sleepy – for whatever reasons may have led the driver to be drowsy. Perhaps lack of sleep, fatigue or being simply tired, or maybe due to food or medication he/she took before driving.
Here is the link to the article, which has a link to the report referred to in the article:
https://www.ghsa.org/news/drowsy-driving-new-data-analysis
From the article:
“…several strategies to combat this dangerous behavior:
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Start with prevention: Promoting healthy sleep habits for everyone – especially for teens as they begin their driving journey – is essential. Drivers should practice good “sleep hygiene,” which includes sleeping in a quiet, cool, device-free environment and avoiding caffeine or alcohol before bed.
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Vehicle technology that’s available now: Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) features can monitor for telltale signs of drowsiness (like yawns or long blinks) and issue visual, auditory or haptic alerts to tell drivers to take a break. Notably, none of the current systems prevent a driver from ignoring them and continuing to drive, or from turning them off entirely.
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Change the culture at work and school: Employers should implement responsible scheduling and travel policies to minimize fatigue. School districts can consider shifting high school start times later in the day to help teens get more rest. One study of high school student drivers found significantly lower crash rates with a later school start time.
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Build more, smarter infrastructure: Infrastructure changes such as rest stops, rumble strips and cable median barriers can help prevent drowsy driving, wake drivers up or reduce the severity of a run-off-the-road crash.”
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On parking for typhoons
The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recently issued a memo to shopping mall operators in Metro Manila in relation to the anticipated arrival and onslaught of a super typhoon. I reproduce the memo below:
As of this morning, most if not all mall operators (at least all of the major ones – SM, Robinsons, Ayala and Megaworld) have responded positively. Some observations this morning though shows a lot of people already lining up their vehicles at the malls to take advantage of the free parking. It seems a lot of people have misunderstood the memo and responses (from the malls) to mean there’s free parking from today til Monday. Let’s assume that most of these people live in flood prone areas and that many of them probably don’t have garages in their homes. This somewhat shows us another angle of vehicle ownership and the lack of parking for many. It also somehow tells us something about our dependency on cars and how we really need to have a better transportation system.
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Senseless road crashes
My staff shared the following cctv footage of a recent road crash along C.P. Garcia Avenue just across the College of Science Complex in UP Diliman. The videos show two vehicles colliding along the road at nighttime. This is usually a busy road with traffic to and from Katipunan, mostly comprised of travelers associated with the schools I the area.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17MPeJnrCk/
The black SUV appears to be speeding and suddenly veered towards the opposing lane where it collided with another vehicle. It is unclear if the driver lost control of the vehicle or was aware of what he was doing. That cost 2 lives as both drivers reportedly died from the crash.
This is among those crashes that can be regarded as senseless incidents. This could have been avoided if the driver was not speeding in the first place or perhaps was not influenced by any factor like alcohol or drugs. Perhaps it’s really about the behavior of certain motorists who shouldn’t have licenses to drive in the first place? We commonly refer to them as kamote drivers or riders. The LTO should do their part in ridding the roads of these menaces.
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Vehicle refuge during floods
Passing Felix Avenue one early morning this week, I saw familiar scene. There were lots of vehicles parked along Felix Avenue (formerly Imelda Avenue) including the service roads along either side of this major road connecting Marcos Highway and Ortigas Avenue Extension.
These vehicles are owned by residents of subdivisions along the avenue whose areas are prone to flooding. These include Vista Verde, Metroville, Kasibulan, Karangalan and the two Green Parks. I didn’t see this along the stretch so the other flood prone villages like Village East and Country Homes. Perhaps they have been able to adapt better?
Car-centric discussions aside, when you go the ‘east’ you will notice a lot of people using SUVs. One reason probably is because many Rizal towns including Antipolo City, and Pasig and Marikina Cities are prone to flooding. Can you imagine over 50 years of flooding in these areas? And then with the current investigations concerning flood control projects, have you wondered if the ‘east’ really got their taxpayers’ money’s worth in terms of interventions?
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Caught (up) in traffic 