There are less passengers on the highway lines running from Mon State to other States and Divisions, so some bus companies have to stop and some reduce the number of buses, according to the highway vehicle operators.

According to the officials of highway vehicles, the number of people traveling by buses have decreased due to the delay made by a checkpoint near Nyaung Khar Shay Village on the Mawlamyine-Yangon highway.

The highway bus companies are making losses, some are stopping and others are running with a reduced number of vehicles due to the less numbers of passengers.

“It’s not like before. It’s also because the queues at the checkpoints take a long time (as the security forces are checking every passenger, bags and belongings). There are no more passengers. The fuel cost has been expensive. That’s why now, instead of the usual two vehicles, only one runs,” said a person in charge of highway vehicles running to Mawlamyine- Yangon.

Previously, each company providing travel service between Mawlamyine and Yangon had three buses, running twice a day in the morning and afternoon, but now there are only one in the morning as there are less passengers, he added.

Due to a lack of passengers, more than 20 highway bus companies in Mon State have been stopped, according to highway vehicles line officials.

An official from a bus line running to Mawlamyine-Yangon-Dawei said, “There are no more passengers like before. We are trying to rely on goods and packages carrying service but due to limited goods and packages, and over inspection on those things, we are not able to ship as much as we thought.”

Previously, there were 73 company lines running from Mon State to other States and Divisions, but now about one-third of the companies have stopped their services.

Photo Caption - Moulmein (Mawlamyine) Central Bus Station