PHNOM PENH: The Cambodian PPSHV Expressway company and the Cambodian Road Transport Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday morning, 1 March 2023, to provide certain discounts to passenger and freight vehicles. The signing was presided over by the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Senior Minister Sun Chanthol.
The President of the Cambodian Road Transport Association, Chhim Chamnan, said while speaking with the media after the MoU signing, that this agreement between the company and the transport association will encourage transport companies to use the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville expressway.
He explained that the expressway company and the transport association have agreed to reduce the price of using the expressway for passenger cars and other trucks depending on the frequency of use.
Expressway Company spokesperson, Catherine Chen, confirmed that both sides will offer discounts for passenger and freight trucks that need to use the expressway frequently. Those who go back and forth on the expressway from 30 to 100 times per day will receive a 25% discount, and those who go back and forth on the expressway 101 times per day or more, will receive a 30% discount.
To obtain this concession, the company spokesperson confirmed that all passenger and freight companies are required to use the electronic toll collection (ETC) system.
"If a company has 20 cars or more, registration for the ETC will be free, but companies are still required to pay a deposit of US $100 per car in the ETC account," she said.
The spokesperson said she hopes that after signing the MoU, other transport companies will use the expressway more to reduce travel time and accidents.
According to the president of the Transport Association, this discount will be tested for eight months from the date of signing the MoU.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has advised truck owners to travel on the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, rather than the regular route on National Road No. 4, because it saves time and money on gasoline costs.
The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway opened to a free trial period for one month from October to November 2022. As of the end of February 2023, this expressway has been used by nearly two million vehicles, of which more than 1.4 million were charged for use, earning around US $11 million.
