150K MRT ‘ghost riders’ taking gov’t for a ride
By Angie M. Rosales 11/02/2010Taxpayers are shouldering the subsidy of the daily 150,000 “ghost riders” of Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) for the past few years, a senator yesterday revealed.
“Essentially, taxpayers are shouldering the fare subsidy of 650,000 passengers but since only 500,000 show up daily, there are, in effect, 150,000 ‘ghost riders,’” Sen. Ralph Recto noted.
The government is paying for riders who are non-existent, he stressed.
The senator took note of this information as he stood opposed to the called fare increase by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC).
Instead, the chairman of the Senate ways and means committee said the government should invest in procuring more train coaches to maximize the ridership potential of the railway system and, in the process, turn in a decent return of investment.
The MRT Line 3 from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City is actually good for a daily ridership of 650,000 but only about 500,000 or even less are serviced daily due to lack of coaches, he pointed out..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101102hed6.html
0 comments
Post a Comment