Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 2) — The Metro Rail Transit Line-3 (MRT-3) serviced a total of 309,225 passengers on Friday – the highest single-day ridership since it reopened on June 1, 2020.
In a Facebook post, the MRT-3 said the increase in the number of passengers is a result of the “Libreng Sakay” program, and the operations of its 4-car CKD trains and one Chinese Dalian train set in the mainline.
An average of 18 to 21 trains are running at the MRT-3. Rider capacity has increased – with each train able to carry up to 1,576 passengers.
The trains are also operating at an increased speed of 60 kilometers per hour since December 2020, and the average headway or time gap between the arrival of each train dropped from 8.5 to 9 minutes per 20 trains just to 3.4 to 4 minutes.
Free rides at the MRT-3 started on March 28 and will run until April 30.
Minimum public health and safety protocols are strictly implemented in all MRT lines. The wearing of face masks is strictly imposed while face shields are voluntary.
Before the pandemic struck in March 2020 and temporarily halted public transportation, around 250,000 to 300,000 passengers use the MRT-3 every day.
