MMDA takes exception to world’s worst traffic tag

THE Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) took exception to the declaration by the Tomtom Traffic Index, that ranked Metro Manila as having the worst traffic in the world for a Metro area.

MMDA Acting Chairman, Romando Artes said in a press briefing questioned the methodologies used in measuring traffic.

“We really want to know and we will communicate with them,” Artes said.

He said that they will explain what the MMDA is doing to ease traffic.

According to Artes, using only GPS or Global Positioning System is not a good basis  for implying that an area is heavy on traffic.

“Kaya po gusto namin malaman kung ano yung methodology na na-employ. Consistent ba yun sa ibang bansa,” he mused.

“Kasi kung sasabihin mo na GPS lang ang sa kotse, gaano ba karami yung naka0subscribe dun sa Tomtom? Anong oras ba sila narehistro,” he aaid.

Earlier, the TTI said that Metro Manila had an average travel time of 25 minutes and 30 seconds per 10 kilometers in 2023, compared to 24 minutes and 50 seconds in 2022. It has a congestion level of 52 percent.

Lima, the capital of Peru, is in second place with an average travel time of 24 minutes and 20 seconds per 10 km, followed by Bengaluru, India (23 minutes, 50 seconds); Sapporo, Japan (23 minutes, 30 seconds) and Bogota, Colombia (23 minutes, 30 seconds).

Also in the top 10 are the Taiwanese cities of Taichung and Kaohsiung, ranked 6th and 8th respectively, Mumbai and Pune in India, 7th and 9th. Nagoya, Japan ranked 10th.

Brussels, Belgium and Geneva, Switzerland, as well as Tokyo, Japan, were in the top 15.