A plan is underway to increase the public transport fares due to rising fuel oil price, other vehicle spare parts and maintenance costs. Currently, the petrol price is around 1,700 Kyats per litre for RON 95 and 1,670 Kyats per litre for premium diesel. The bus operators have submitted a proposal to YRTC (Yangon Region Transport Committee) to increase the basic YBS (Yangon Bus Service) bus fares to 400 Kyats, from existing 200 Kyats, in order for YBS vehicles to remain operational.
“We have taken action to the YBS bus lines for collecting extra charges of up to 1,000 Kyats per person. We have granted the YBS bus lines to collect up to 400 Kyats per person depending upon the distance. But, they are not permitted to collect the extra fare. The bus line companies are negotiating with the Asia Starmar Company for the YPS (Yangon Payment Service) card. We don’t plan to increase the YBS fare,” said the Joint Secretary of YRTC.
YPS machines were installed on YBS buses as of July 21, 2020. Asia Starmar Transport Intelligent Co. is making effort to distribute more YPS cards and to install the new YPS machines on the buses. Currently, YPS machines have been installed on a total of 1902 buses; 608 buses of Yangon Bus Public Co. Ltd (YBPC), 304 buses of Bandoola Transportation company, 700 buses of Yangon Urban Public Transport Public Co. Ltd (YUPT), 165 buses of Ludu Partner Company and 27 buses of Golden Yangon City Transportation Public Co. Ltd (GYCT) companies.
“The YBS buses are collecting 300 Kyats per person wherever they go. The bus should collect only 200 Kyats per person if he is going to only two or three bus stations. Now, we head that the YBS will increase the minimum bus fare to 400 Kyats. 100 Kyats may be nothing for some people. But for us, we pay have to pay 200 Kyats extra for every day, said a commuter from Dagon Myothit (New Town) Township.
Similarly, there is a plan to increase the fares of the water ferry fates due to the rising price of fuel oil and the increase in price of spare parts for the water ferry, said Kyaw Nyein, Chairman of the Dala Township Motorboat Supervision Team.
“We have planned to increase the water ferry fares starting from the first week of March after negotiation with authorities. Before we increase fares, we will make announcement to the commuters and meet them with the executive team,” he added. There are altogether eleven motor vessels operating between Yangon and Dala township, across the river. They are collecting 150, 200, 250 or 300 Kyats per person, depending on the distance. Now, the motor vessels will increase their fares by 50 or 100 Kyats per person depending on the distance.
With the rising fuel oil prices, even other transport entities besides YBS buses and water vessels are also planning to increase their fares. Yangon – Bago Smart City bus lines operating between Yangon and Bago have increased their fares beginning from January 24. The fares increased by 1,000 Kyats to cost 3,000 Kyats one way per person.
