4 July

THE  Yangon  Region  Trans-port  Authority  has  received  purchase requests for 55 buses from schools so far this year for providing transportation to stu-dents in Yangon Region, said U Hla Aung, the joint secretary of the YRTA, at a press conference on 3 July.

“Permits seeking purchase of school buses, along with the details of the bus specifications, have  to  be  submitted  to  the  Road Transport Administration Department for approval. Once the schools confirm their busi-ness type, the YRTA proceeds with the purchase permits. We have  started  selling  purchase  forms. Purchase proposals have reached  55  so  far,”  said  U  Hla  Aung.

The Yangon Region govern-ment has initiated a school bus transport scheme and has pur-chased 200 buses, of which, 98 are currently serving 12 schools, said U Aung Nyi Nyi Maw, the Managing Director of the YRTA. The 98 school buses are serving 1,897 students.

“The  number  of  students  wanting to use school bus ser-vices is rising. We are collecting data. We will provide the servic-es after drawing up the route,” said U Aung Nyi Nyi Maw.

The Yangon Region govern-ment’s school bus scheme aims to  create  a  systematic  school bus system, instead of allowing a  market-based  system,  said  U Phyo Min Thein, the Region Chief Minister.

In  the  current  academic  year, school buses which meet the 12-point guideline issued by the RTAD have been allowed to operate in the region. While new school buses of a set standard are being imported, old school vehicles are plying on the roads. 

By Nyein Nyein
(Translated  by  Ei  Myat  Mon)