Commuters are waiting to take a bus at Sule bus-stop in downtown Yangon.
YANGON Region government will spend Ks60 billion on buying new passenger buses to offer better transportation service to millions of commuters, said U Phyo Min Thein, Yangon Region Chief Minister.
Yangon Bus Service, the new public transport system, replaced an old private system that was fragmented, with the government planning to continue further improvements on the new system at a slow but steady speed, U Phyo Min Thein said.
He went on to say that the regional government is carrying out the development process by enhancing the involvement of bus owners in transforming the new system.
To control undisciplined drivers on public buses, the Yangon Region government is now arranging to install GPS navigation devices in YBS buses.
The country launched the new YBS system in the country’s largest city on 16 January. The changes aim to reduce traffic jams and ensure operation of the bus service according to the system.
The government will revise the progress of the new system every three months, planning to turn the bus lines under the YBS system into public bus lines within this year. Afterward, CCTV cameras and a card system for paying fares will be installed in the buses.
The Yangon Region Transport Authority announced its plans to use 55 buses for short routes and over 100 buses for longer routes under the new programme.
The quality of the service of the bus lines provided to passengers will be monitored and those who fail to abide by the rules will face legal action under the existing laws, rules and regulations.
The commercial capital of Yangon has a population of more than five million. About 2.5 million use the public transport service on a daily basis.
Ko Moe