Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh gets public buses for the first time in more than a decade

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – People in Phnom Penh are traveling on buses for the first time in over a decade, as authorities introduced a new public transportation system aimed at relieving traffic jams in the Cambodian capital.

Phnom Penh's City Hall launched a one-month pilot program Wednesday, with 10 buses traveling a single route through the city center.

Koeut Chhe, a senior City Hall official, said that if the program is successful, more buses and routes will be added.

The last time Phnom Penh had public buses was for a brief period in 2001, but the service was canceled after two months due to lack of interest from the motorbike-riding public.

According to Koeut Chhe, the city of roughly 1.5 million people has about 1.5 million motorbikes and over 30,000 cars clogging the roads.