31 October
Yangon Bus Service (YBS) will install card payment systems in the first phase to its 1,500 buses in November, said U Min Naing, the director of Parami Bus Line operated by Bandoola Transport Co. Ltd.
The equipment and systems are now ready for the first phase, and the installation and trainings will take 18 days commencing 1 November at Dagon University in the suburb of Yangon.
Some 500 buses of Yangon Urban Public Transport Company (YUPT), 500 buses of Yangon Bus Public Company Ltd (YBPC), 314 buses of Bandoola Transport Co. Ltd and 88 buses of Shwe Taung Pine company will be installed with the system that is expected to be complete in December.
After the first phase, the installation will continue at 1,000 Fonton buses and 39 Scania buses in the second phase. The two sets of card payment system could be set up to each of 2,539 buses in total of the two phases by 16 January next year.
However, transport authorities are still discussing bus fares under the new payment system depending on the trips.
The Asia Starmar Transport Intelligent Co., Ltd, the tender winner company for installation, said it will use advanced technology equipment for YBS buses.
A total of 211 companies are operating over 4,000 buses in 100 routes in Yangon for about two million daily commuters, according to the figures of Yangon Region Transport Authority (YRTA).
Aye Min Thu (Translated by Aung Khin)
