Yangon Region Transport Authority (YRTA) has not prohibiting running of highway expressways but the expressways have to stop as it is COVID-19 pandemic and most of the townships are under stay at home rule according to YRTA official Hla Aung.

“As most of the townships in Yangon and Mandalay during the second weave of COVID-19, are under stay at home order, there are few passengers to travel and highway buses have to stop their normal running,”  according to Hla Aung, secretary of Yangon Region Transport Authority.

As it is during pandemic and in Yangon Region, all the townships except Coco Island are under stay at home order. There are no restrictions for them to resume their business but no one travels during this time and as a result, the highway buses have to stop. YRTA sets no restriction to running of highway buses but they have to follow the guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Health and Sports.

On the other hand, express buses are only carrying cargo because there are no instructions from the responsible officials to resume their normal operation. So, they are expecting to operate their business as usual and they have to refuse the passengers’ request for travelling.

“Since the first COVID wave, we’ve prepared buses to resume the operation. We’ve prepared our buses for social distancing rules. But, there is no instruction to operate and so we have to refuse the passengers’ request. We hope our highway buses may resume their operation,” said Kyawt Kyawt Than from JJ Express.

As the COVID pandemic prolongs nearly one year, highway buses faced hardships because they have to stop their businesses. In the past, there were nearly 20,000 passengers daily at the Aungmingalar and Dagaon Ayar bus terminals in Yangon Region.