Steer Clear of the EDSA Bus Lane or Risk Getting a Minimum P5,000 Fine Soon
It's serious business for the MMDA.
(SPOT.ph) The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has issued a warning to motorists who violate the rules of exclusive bus lanes on EDSA: Fines are about to get a lot steeper from the current P1,000 per offense starting Monday, November 13.
First offense will soon be pegged at P5,000—five times the fine a motorist has to pay today if a private vehicle passes through the bus lane—to deter erring motorists who are willing to pay the current fine just so they can make the bus lane their own fast lane and avoid the EDSA gridlock.
The fine goes all the way up to P30,000 with a possible license revocation for repeat offenders, with the MMDA clarifying that the increased fines are not meant to be “anti-poor nor a money-making scheme.”
“Based on our data and observation, there are those who are willing to pay the P1,000 fines and violated the exclusivity of the bus lane because they can afford it… kalimitan kotse ng mayayaman,” MMDA Acting Chairman Don Artes said in a statement.
To reiterate, EDSA bus lanes are meant exclusively for public utility buses (PUBs), ambulances, and government vehicles responding to emergencies—and no, being late for work does not count as one.
Also read: ICYMI: MMDA Catches Fake DOH Van in EDSA Bus Lane Driven By... an MMDA Enforcer
Increased fines for EDSA bus lane violators
Under MMDA Regulation No. 23-002, the updated fines for violating bus lane regulations are as follows:
- First Offense: P5,000
- Second Offense: P10,000 and a one-month driver's license suspension, with a mandatory road safety seminar
- Third Offense: P20,000 and a one-year driver's license suspension
- Fourth Offense: P30,000 and a recommendation to the Land Transportation Office for license revocation
The MMDA said it would be holding information campaigns before fully implementing the increased fines to ensure that the general public is informed.
Also read: "Stay On Your Lane": MMDA Reminds Drivers Not to Use the EDSA Busway
UPDATED (November 6, 2023): This article has been updated to include the official implementation date of MMDA Regulation No. 23-002.