Zarni Min Naing/MBT
Bus stops along Kabaaye and Pyay roads for the Yangon Bus Public Company Limited, which will operate the very first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Yangon, have been completed.
The stops have been under construction since September were originally planned for completion in October.
“We aim to solve the severe traffic congestion problem that Yangon faces now. It takes up to two hours to go from one place to another with bus now. The BRT system won’t take that much time. This will be very convenient for the people,” Dr Maung Aung, president of the Yangon Bus Pcl and also an adviser to the Ministry of Commerce, told Myanmar Business Today.
However, ticket centres and LED signposts still need to be completed, he said.
“Sixty-five buses have been ordered to get the project running and as soon as they arrive the BRT system will begin operations. The buses will arrive this month and we hope to start this soon,” Dr Maung Aung said.
The new BRT buses will be sans conductors and will use “iPay” system that requires a smart card to make the payment, he added.
“There is no bus conductor, only a driver. The bus driver doesn’t need to rush to get more money. They will drive according to their schedules and they will get a competitive monthly salary,” Dr Maung Aung said.
The Yangon Bus Public Company Limited was formed in 2014, with the government holding K10 billion worth of shares while K15 billion shares will be sold to the public.
From:Myanmar Business Today