On 15 December 1999, partial operations began. Under the auspices of the DOTC, operations began from the system’s North Avenue terminal in Quezon City up to Buendia Avenue in Makati City. The MRTC Board of Directors approved and adopted the trade name “METROSTAR EXPRESS” on the same date.

On 20 July 2000, three more stations were opened: Ayala, Magallanes and Taft Avenue stations. The Metrostar Express began full system operation along the 16.9 kilometer route on EDSA.

A critical linkage was accomplished with the existing LRT1 mass transit line servicing Baclaran to Monumento at the EDSA Taft Avenue intersection, resulting in increased ridership for both urban mass transportation lines.

In 2003, DOTC-MRT3 had carried a total of 112.5 million passengers and on 16 March 2004, it was recorded that the highest number of passengers carried by the system was 455,000.

The rail project has a fleet of 73 Czech-made modern and air-conditioned rail cars, of which up to 60 three-car trains operate daily. The rail vehicles are articulated, eight-axle, three-section cars designed for single-ended operations.

Each rail car is provided with five double leaf, electronically-operated plug-sliding doors. The rail coaches are also air and noise pollution-free.

The trains run at a maximum speed of 65 kilometers per hour, enough to cover the rail system’s 13 stations in about 30 minutes, including short dwell times of about 25 to 35 seconds in each station.

TES Philippines, Inc. (TESP), a sub-sidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Tokyo, Japan was established on April 30, 1999, as a subcontractor of MRTC to execute the maintenance work under the Maintenance Agreement. This agreement was signed on August 8, 1997 between Metro Rail Transit Corporation, Ltd. and the Department of Transporta-tion and Communications.

Being the maintenance work provider to the MRT III, TESP’s main task is to provide service, maintenance and repair of transportation equipment and facilities. It is principally responsible for the operation of MRT Depot and the Maintenance of the Vehicles, Signal, Tracks and Guideway Structure, the different Stations and Substations, the Overhead Catenary System and the various Communication Systems.