Drivers Will Pay to Use S’ville Road

Taxis and private vehicles will soon be required to pay a toll to drive between Phnom Penh and Sih­anoukville on National Route 4, officials from the highway’s main­ten­ance company said Mon­day.

Keo Setha, representative for the AZ company, said drivers of all cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and minibuses will be asked to pay $1.10 each way at tolls on the out­skirts of Phnom Penh and Sih­an­oukville.

The company has not determined when it will start charging the toll, Keo Setha said. But he said AZ company has distributed no­tices warning travelers of the im­pending charge.

“People will be paying the toll ve­ry soon,” he said.

The AZ company has been char­ging cargo-carrying vehicles along National Route 4 since early November 2002. Fees range from $1.10 for small transport vehicles to more than $6.30 for large tan­ker trucks.

At the time, the company said it would not charge passenger-carrying vehicles for one year, sparking criticism from Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Son Chhay, who said the delay was a CPP vote-getting ploy ahead of the July 2003 el­ec­tion.

On Monday, Keo Setha said he did not know why the company de­layed extending the toll to all vehicles.

Taxi drivers and motorists had mixed reactions to the extension of the fee this week, after receiving the AZ company notice.

“The money will go to renovating and enlarging the road,” said Sur Borin, a 32-year-old taxi driver. “I hope the road will last forever if the AZ company uses the col­lected money from all vehicles dri­ving along the road to improve it,” he said.

Uk Bunthoeurn, a bus driver who transports goods and pas­sen­gers, said he has paid $1.65 per trip since the first day the high­way maintenance company be­gan charging. “AZ company should reduce the fee because there are countless vehicles driving twice a day along the road and they pay all the time, so the company gets a lot of money each day,” he said.

 

 

 

By Kuch Naren

the cambodia daily

Taxis and private vehicles will soon be required to pay a toll to drive between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville on National Route 4, officials from the highway’s maintenance company said Monday.

Keo Setha, representative for the AZ company, said drivers of all cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and minibuses will be asked to pay $1.10 each way at tolls on the outskirts of Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.

The company has not yet determined when it will start charging the fee, Keo Setha said. But, he said, AZ company has distributed notices warning travelers of the impending charge.

“People will be paying the toll very soon,” he said.

The AZ company has been charging cargo-carrying vehicles along National Route 4 since early November 2002. Fees range from $1.10 for small transport vehicles to more than $6.30 for large tanker trucks.

At the time, the company said it would not charge passenger-carrying vehicles for one year, sparking criticism from Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Son Chhay, who said the delay was a CPP vote-getting ploy ahead of the July 2003 election.

On Monday, Keo Setha said he did not know why the company delayed extending the toll to all vehicles.

Taxi drivers and motorists had mixed reactions to the extension of the fee this week, after receiving the AZ company notice.

“The money will go to renovating and enlarging the road,” said Sur Borin, a 32-year-old taxi driver. “I hope the road will last forever if the AZ company uses the collected money from all vehicles driving along the road to improve it,” he said.

Uk Bunthoeurn, a bus driver who transports goods and passengers, said he has paid $1.65 per trip since the first day the highway maintenance company began charging.

“AZ company should reduce the fee because there are countless vehicles driving twice a day along the road and they pay all the time, so the company gets a lot of money each day,” he said.

By Kuch Naren

the cambodia daily

Taxis and private vehicles will soon be required to pay a toll to drive between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville on National Route 4, officials from the highway’s maintenance company said Monday.

Keo Setha, representative for the AZ company, said drivers of all cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and minibuses will be asked to pay $1.10 each way at tolls on the outskirts of Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.

The company has not yet determined when it will start charging the fee, Keo Setha said. But, he said, AZ company has distributed notices warning travelers of the impending charge.

“People will be paying the toll very soon,” he said.

The AZ company has been charging cargo-carrying vehicles along National Route 4 since early November 2002. Fees range from $1.10 for small transport vehicles to more than $6.30 for large tanker trucks.

At the time, the company said it would not charge passenger-carrying vehicles for one year, sparking criticism from Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Son Chhay, who said the delay was a CPP vote-getting ploy ahead of the July 2003 election.

On Monday, Keo Setha said he did not know why the company delayed extending the toll to all vehicles.

Taxi drivers and motorists had mixed reactions to the extension of the fee this week, after receiving the AZ company notice.

“The money will go to renovating and enlarging the road,” said Sur Borin, a 32-year-old taxi driver. “I hope the road will last forever if the AZ company uses the collected money from all vehicles driving along the road to improve it,” he said.

Uk Bunthoeurn, a bus driver who transports goods and passengers, said he has paid $1.65 per trip since the first day the highway maintenance company began charging.

“AZ company should reduce the fee because there are countless vehicles driving twice a day along the road and they pay all the time, so the company gets a lot of money each day,” he said.

 

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