MMDA Apprehends 1,275 Violators of EDSA HOV Lane

On the first day of the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane dry run on EDSA yesterday, December 11, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) apprehended 1,275 violators. In addition, 3,722 highly-tinted vehicles were monitored to have violated the traffic scheme through the no-contact apprehension policy of the MMDA while 84 were apprehended through cameras of traffic enforcers on the ground.

The HOV Lane was recently approved during a meeting of the Metro Manila Council (MMC), the agency's policymaking body composed of Metro Manila mayors, to reduce the number of vehicles on EDSA.

Under the HOV Lane program, only vehicles with two or more passengers may use the aforementioned lane, which is the fifth and leftmost lane on EDSA. Once the HOV lane is fully implemented, violators will be apprehended through a no-contact apprehension and pay a fine of P500.

According to the MMDA, the HOV lane was conceived to encourage carpooling among motorists, "in the hope of easing the traffic situation in Metro Manila."