MRT unveils 4-car CKD train set
METRO Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) made history again after it successfully deployed a 4-car CKD train set on its revenue line for the first time, Monday, March 28, 2022 at the opening of the line’s month-long “Free Ride” program.
MRT-3 Officer-in-Charge General Manager (OIC-GM) and Director for Operations Michael J. Capati led the first-ever deployment of a train set in 4-car configuration at 7:00 a.m., during the morning peak hour of the line’s operation.
Another 4-car train is set to run at the afternoon peak hours, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The deployment of trains with four cars each set helps augment the line’s capacity, as they can carry up to a total of 1,576 passengers per train set.
Each train car of a CKD train set can load up to 394 passengers.
According to MRT-3 OIC-GM Capati, the 18-22 number of trains, including 4-car train sets, that the MRT-3 can now deploy during peak hours is a far cry from the previous 10-15 trains only that it could deploy before its massive rehabilitation.
“Malayong-malayo po yung ngayon sa napapatakbo natin noon na 10-15 tren lang, at may all-time low pa na 6 na tren. Ngayon, dahil sa tuloy-tuloy na overhauling ng ating mga bagon, nasa 48 na po sa 72 ang natapos ma-overhaul at operational cars kaya naman mas marami na po ang reliable cars natin na nagagamit,” said OIC-General Manager Capati, who boarded the 4-car train himself.
The MRT-3 recorded the all-time lowest number of operational trains on May 24, 2015, when it was able to deploy only six running train sets on the mainline due to poor maintenance of its previous provider.
Today, passengers enjoy cooler, aside from faster, MRT-3 rides as all train cars have also been installed with new and 100% functioning air conditioning units.
The “Free Ride” program of MRT-3 is launched with the objective of showcasing the improved services of the rail line, in order to gain back public confidence in the mass transportation system such as the MRT-3.
The program, announced by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte himself during the inauguration of the completion of MRT-3’s rehabilitation, is also aimed at easing the financial burden of passengers amid rising prices of fuel and commodities, and the return to on-site work of many.
The “Free Ride’ program will be available until April 30, 2022, throughout the whole operational hours of MRT-3.
