Home to over 13 million people, the National Capital Region (NCR) has become synonymous with heavy traffic congestion.
Daytime population is even said to reach 16 million to include people traveling from nearby provinces according to ResearchGate.
In 2023, Metro Manila was even hailed as having the world’s worst traffic problem based on the 2023 Tomtom Traffic Index, which compared average travel times across 387 metro areas globally.
In light of these challenges, Dr. Jose Regin Regidor, a research fellow at the University of the Philippines-National Center for Transportation Studies, suggested one potential solution: carpooling among condominium residents.
Dr. Regidor emphasizes that carpooling or ridesharing among condo residents can significantly reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
“Ridesharing or carpooling is a big help in reducing the number of vehicles on the road,” said Dr. Regidor, also a Professor and Director of the University of the Philippines-Institute of Civil Engineering said in Filipino.
Dr. Regidor said offering a ride-sharing service within residential communities makes it possible to ferry multiple passengers in one go.
“This would significantly help reduce the number of vehicles on the road, shorten travel times, and improve our overall quality of life when it comes to commuting,” he said.
“Instead of having one person per car, people share a ride. For example, in a van or shuttle, maybe eight or even 16 people can share a ride. If they’re headed to a common destination, like BGC or Makati, we can reduce traffic by having them travel together in one vehicle,” he explained.
The 2023 Tomtom Traffic Index reported that a 10-kilometer drive in Metro Manila takes as much as 35 minutes and 30 seconds during the Friday peak hour of 5 to 6 p.m. Some urban planners have attributed the worsening traffic situation in NCR to insufficient public transport capacity, forcing many to drive private cars that, in turn, worsens road congestion further.
A 2017 study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency estimated that the daily traffic congestion is costing NCR some P3.5 billion per day, representing lost opportunities, added business costs, and additional living expenses.
Dr. Regidor cited DMCI Homes’ RideShare Carpooling Program for its condo residents as a good example for other developers to follow.
“The ridesharing service promoted and provided by DMCI Homes helps residents by alleviating the daily experience of traffic congestion. By using this service (RideShare), we can reduce the stress that comes with traveling, and it also means we don’t have to drive our own vehicles as often,” he said.
“It would be great if other communities, condominiums, and buildings with residents who share common destinations, such as workplaces or their children’s schools, could engage in this kind of ridesharing,” the transportation expert added.
Ridesharing is also kinder on the environment: fewer cars on the road means less carbon emissions.
DMCI Homes has been offering ridesharing services in select residential properties as a convenient and innovative solution to heavy traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
For Dr. Regidor, it’s a simple yet meaningful solution to worsening urban traffic. It also benefits condo residents as they no longer have to worry about their daily commute or bear the task of driving through heavy traffic.
All they need to do is book a seat in advance through the DMCI Communities Mobile App and show up at designated pick-up points every day.
DMCI Homes’ RideShare Carpool Program recently won a Gold Award for Innovation in Transportation and Logistics from the 2024 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, an international award-giving body that recognizes business innovations across the region.
Among the DMCI Homes communities serviced by RideShare include Acacia Estates in Taguig, and Prisma Residences, Lumiere Residences, Sheridan Towers, and Brixton Place in Pasig.
