The Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) announced that it will be deploying four-car trains during rush hour to cater to more commuters starting Monday, said Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon.

Dizon inspected the facilities of the 16.9 kilometer, 25 year old main train system in Metro Manila on Monday after it was shut down for four days due to maintenance.

In a statement, MRT-3 said that three four-car trains will be running during peak hours from 7 am to 9 am and 5 pm to 7 pm in the afternoon.

Sixteen trains will retain the current three-car configuration in regular hours. Operating hours recently extended to 11 pm.

“Following the directives of the President to improve the daily plight of commuters, this move is part of MRT’s effort to ensure safe and comfortable travel while giving back time to commuters,” MRT-3 said in a Facebook post.

Meanwhile, Dizon inspected the operations of the MRT-3 to ensure the smooth flow of passengers returning to work after the Holy Week break.

The MRT-3 is also studying the removing x-ray machines and the use of cashless payment to purchase single journey tickets. Yzabela Velez-White/DMS