CNI News

18 Jan 2023

The three-step driver shunting requirement has been lifted at Muse-Kyinsankyawt border gate, according to border merchants in Muse.

Thanks to removing the requirements, merchants don't have to pay for replace-drivers and can save about MMK 150,000 per truck and trade flow will be facilitated in the long run, Vice Chairman U Min Thein of Muse Rice Exchange told the CNI.

Trucks leading to China.

He said, "We had to replace three drivers to transport goods to China in the past. Now, we don't have to replace drivers from from Shwelwein and Shweli River from the 105-mile border trade zone. So, we save MMK 150,000 for replacing drivers and we don't have to wait to replace drivers. However, the requirement to replace drivers at the Chinese side has not been lifted."

The driver shunting requirement was introduced during the COVID-19 outbreak in the two countries and merchants cost a lot of money for the requirement.

Moreover, border trade was delayed as truck drivers had to wait at the shunting ground and there was a shortage of trucks, as a result.

 Watermelon trucks.

Watermelon farmer Ko Thitsar said, "We welcome the move to lift the restriction step by step. It is true that border trade is a little facilitated. However, cultivation of watermelons dropped by 60 percent due to transportation problems and instabilities. So, only between 50 and 100 truckloads of watermelons are exported to China daily and traffic is convenient. However, when farmers expand cultivation of watermelons, about 300 or 400 truckloads of watermelons will be exported to China and there will be traffic jams. I think there will be problems in the long term."

The driver shunting requirement was introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

China lifted its zero-COVID-19 policies at the end of 2022 and Myanmar lifted driver-shunting requirements on 15th January, 2023.

Truck owners, drivers and merchants hope the last driver shunting requirement will be lifted by China depending on the spread of COVID-19 in China.