You want tough solutions to traffic management

Tired of all the traffic on major thoroughfares? Here are some foolproof solutions gathered from frustrated motorists who are willing to face the consequences of some of these proposed solutions. Many if not all of these suggestions may not see the light of day in the near future due to a number of reasons. Read on.

1. Raising the bar on new vehicle ownership

Singapore has a really good system that serves the city state government in regulating vehicle ownership and use of public roads. This system, plus many others that have been introduced through the years, has helped tremendously in keeping traffic more manageable.

The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system severely limits ownership of cars per person to one. It also makes owning a vehicle expensive since such certificates are bid out by the government based on availability as dictated by the desired number of vehicles on the road.

There’s a very slim chance of getting this system to work in the Philippines because of the expected backlash, not only by those aspiring to have a new car (or a second, third or fourth car), but also by the car manufacturers who are having a field day selling new one.

But definitely, until we are able to add more roads, the vehicle population in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu is way more than the roads can handle even during the so-called non-peak hours.

Another way to dissuade people from buying new cars is to raise taxes, therefore making it more expensive to own one. Likewise, not having an adequate garage for your vehicle when parking for the night or it is not in use should be penalized.

We have too many public roads that are used as “garages” by owners because they don’t have their own proper garage within the confines of their home lots, or have too many vehicles that all of them no longer fit inside their garage.

2. Phase out old vehicles

Vehicles that are more than 10 years old should be phased out. Not only are such vehicles less fuel efficient and more disadvantageous to the environment, they also cost a lot more to maintain.

In the same train of thought, there should be a graduated tax system for vehicles as they get older. This will encourage people to think of giving up their old cars (not passing them on to their children) and buying newer, more efficient models.

This move would likely be labeled as anti-poor, and it will take a lot of political will to enforce, much like the first suggestion. But these will definitely regulate the number of vehicles on the road.

3. Install a comprehensive smart traffic management system

With the power of connectivity nowadays, coupled with the lower cost of installing digital cameras in public places and road traffic advisories, installing a comprehensive smart traffic management system is a good way to keep traffic flowing smoothly.

The biggest hindrance to making this a reality is the bureaucratic red tape, especially in Metro Manila. The metropolis is divided into 16 cities and one municipality (Pateros), all of which are highly independent on each other. They even, on many occasions, ignore the Metro Manila Development Authority which has the job of coordinating traffic in the expanded city.

Getting the individual local government entities’ respective traffic management systems to be managed by MMDA would be a major hurdle. But it can be done if the national and local governments and their respective agencies will put their mind to doing it.

Considering the billions of pesos lost to traffic in Metro Manila, it is economically feasible to set aside a substantial amount that would go to purchasing a truly integrated traffic system where the whole metro grid is monitored by one central traffic neuron.

The idea is have a substantial number of traffic advisory boards that would warn motorists of the traffic situation. This would be supported by a camera system that will be able to make the central nerve operators make learned decisions to be communicated to the boards as well as relevant LGU road traffic enforcers.

This goes a notch higher, of course, by having everything at the fingertips of smartphone owners – plus seeing alternative routes for the motorists (available also on the traffic advisory boards) that would provide alternative routes to avoid traffic areas.

4. Have an integrated public transport system that really works

We’re talking here of city buses, electric trains, etc.

Not only do we need to have all the public electric trains within the metro working as one seamless operations, we need to have more trains, new and longer lines, and more efficient operations. This is to encourage people to take the trains rather than use their own cars.

More trains would be needed to link the suburbs of Metro Manila to the city centers. This will reduce the number of buses that enter the metropolis. The current Philippine National Railways facilities need to be modernized, preferably also used for transport container vans loaded with goods.

Definitely, the inter-city bus system needs to be rationalized so that it complements the train systems. This will reduce the number of buses that traverse the main public highways, especially during non-peak hours. Less buses means more free space on the roads. Articulated buses or double-deckers should be used.

Terminals for the provincial buses should also be rationalized, and preferably located outside the metro center where inter-city buses can pick up or drop off passengers. We have too many provincial bus terminals within the metro center that add to the currently bad traffic situation.

5. Impose higher taxes on fuels for private vehicles

In this era of cheap fuels, higher taxes on gasoline and diesel for privately-owned vehicles could merit a review. The huge drop in crude oil in the world market has also affected tax collections from fuels, and will need to be replenished some way to shore up government revenue collections.

This would undoubtedly raise the loudest protests, and definitely is not a popular one especially if it will come from an electoral candidate seeking for voters’ approval in the coming polls.

Last remedy

Of course, the last remedy for people who don’t like any of the above-mentioned remedies would be to just shrug off the inconveniences of having too many vehicles on the road and a badly managed transport system, and find something to amuse yourself every time you navigate that sea of cars, buses and jeepneys. –Rey Gamboa (The Philippine Star)