Yangon bus drivers caught using smartphones on the job could be fired

Now that more cars are hitting the streets and almost everybody in the city has a smartphone, distracted driving is a growing concern.
 
Thank god that at least one government agency is doing something about it.
 
Ma Hta Tha, the vehicle regulator, has put in place harsh penalties on bus drivers using mobile phones while on the job, Myanmar Business Today reported.
 
“Bus drivers now not only talk on the phones but also play games with their mobile phones while driving, putting the passengers at great risk. This is why we have imposed stricter regulations,” Ma Hta Tha chairman U Hla Aung told the paper.
 
They could be fired if caught.
 
Because of the spectrum of routes and the cheap cost of a ticket, traveling by bus is the most popular mode of transport in Yangon.
 
For pedestrians, however, it’s terrifying.
 
Some drivers seem to think that barreling down the street at top speed is part of the job. The notion that they could be playing Candy Crush at the same time is enough to make your head spin.
 
Photo / Coconuts Yangon