
THE Metro Rail Transit-Line 3 (MRT-3) saw an influx in passengers for 2023, with a recorded count of 129,030,158 rides for the year.
This figure is up by more than 30 percent from the total ridership of 98,330,683 in 2022.
To recall, the MRT-3 has completed its massive rehabilitation in December 2021, which increased its operating speed from 30kph to the original 60kph. The rehabilitation was carried out by MRT-3’s original builder and maintenance provider, Sumitomo-MHI-TESP.
In May this year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) extended MRT-3’s maintenance and rehabilitation contracts with Sumitomo, allowing for the sustained effective upkeep of the system until 2025.
Average daily ridership also increased by more than 30 percent in 2023 to 357,198 from the previous year’s 273,141.
Meanwhile, MRT-3 registered the highest single-day ridership on August 22, with a total of 450,298 passengers.
August was also the month with the highest number of passengers, totaling 11,618,005 trips. This was followed by 11,596,392 rides recorded in October; 11,394,480 in September; 11,189,372 in December; 11,009,312 in March; 10,982,341 in November; 10,878,445 in July; 10,713,219 in May; 10,466,112 in January; 10,404,646 in June; 10,054,538 in February; and 8,723,296 in April.
Further, a total of 220,706 passengers benefitted from MRT-3’s free ride programs for the year 2023.