Commuters scramble to get on few buses on Commonwealth Ave., not minding social distancing

Commuters again had difficulty getting to work on Monday, two weeks after Metro Manila was placed under general community quarantine.

On Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, some commuters said they woke up early to walk to the main thoroughfare to catch a bus.

Allan delos Reyes, a commuter, said he walked from his home and reached Commonwealth Avenue at 4 a.m. to wait for a bus. 

Due to the number of commuters around, he was not able to get on any of the three buses that passed by. He was finally able to board one 20 minutes after the last bus passed by.

With only a few passengers allowed per bus unit to ensure social distancing, commuters scrambled to get on each bus that would stop at Litex.

Maagang naipon ang mga pasahero sa Commonwealth Avenue sa area ng Litex sa Quezon City. Pahirapan ang pagsakay, ilang oras ang hinihintay ng ilang pasahero makasakay lang. Sa bawat humihinto namang bus, unahan ang mga pasahero. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/SO0VX99np7

— James Agustin (@_jamesJA) June 14, 2020

Authorities placed markings on the sidewalk at the Litex bus stop to guide commuters on where to stand to ensure social distancing.

However, when a bus stops, commuters would rush to get on the bus, violating social distancing guidelines.

To remedy this, bus drivers decided not to open the bus doors simultaneously to control the entry of people.

The Quezon City local government and the Armed Forces of the Philippines also deployed vehicles to offer free rides to commuters.

As of past 7 a.m., traffic on Commonwealth Avenue toward Elliptical Road was already heavy, but traffic going on the opposite direction was light. —KG, GMA News