Passenger taxi boat traffic has dropped by about five per cent compared to the same period last year, despite the government providing free service for garment workers until next year, Phnom Penh Autonomous Bus Transportation Authority director Ean Sokhim said on Monday.
In 2018, the Phnom Penh Municipal Hall set up a public taxi boat service which travels from the capital’s northern Russey Keo district to Kandal province’s Takhmao town.
The route is operated by four boats and the journey takes 45 minutes.
Speaking to The Post, Sokhim said the service currently sees 200 passengers daily and cited several reasons for the decline in ridership.
“The main reason why the public boat service isn’t seeing as many passengers is probably because there are currently ample bus services available, and the road between Takhmao and Phnom Penh is well served,” he said, adding that more than half the passengers merely ride for leisure.
More than half the riders make use of the government’s fare-waiver programme, yielding lower revenue, he said. However, he did not disclose last year’s earnings.
