Unlicensed coaches can be seen cruising the streets and flouting allrules as the demand for commuting options increases over the holidayseason.
These buses have been operating in Hanoiand Ho Chi Minh City, spurred by the growing need for travel optionsduring the period leading up to the Lunar New Year (Tet), the mostimportant and longest annual festival in the country.
In the southern hub, illegal ticket selling points have been spottedon many streets such as Vo Thanh Trang, Hong Lac, and Dong Den.
Some coach owners run promotional programmes to attract morepassengers. For example, a travel enterprise in the corner of Dong Denstreet offers customers a chance to win valuable prizes such asmotorbikes and television sets.
These unlicensedcoaches can be found in other areas such as Le Hong Phong and Tran Phustreets in District 10 and Pham Ngu Lao street in District 1, offeringtrips to the Central region.
The problem is not new,as these buses are reported to have existed for years, disguised astourist vehicles. There are even cases where coach owners hire land tobuild bus stops where they drop off passengers and sell ticketsillegally.
Illegal bus stops are also causing amajor problem in Hanoi. One of them is in Yen Phu Street where a numberof 16-seat passenger buses travelling along the Hanoi route to thenorthern provinces of Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Lang Son regularly stop topick up or drop off passengers.
Unregistered busstops can also be found in Hanoi in such places as Gia Lam, Giap Bat andNuoc Ngam. Illegal passenger coaches often operate during rush hour atthe intersection of Giai Phong street and in front of the My Dinh andGia Lam bus stations.
Several unregisteredbuses travel from and to Giap Bat bus terminal in Hoang Mai districtevery hour. They park on the side of the road to pick up passengers,causing serious traffic congestion in several areas.
Several transport service companies operating in Ho Chi Minh City havetaken advantage of the rise in the need for travel during Tet byraising the price of coach fares.
For instance, thecost of a bunk on coaches to central Thua Thien-Hue province has risento 1.2 million VND (57 USD), and a seat to central Quang Ngai provinceon the 27th and 28th days of the lunar calendar (January 27 and 28 thisyear) has gone up to 750,000 VND (36 USD).
The prices announced by official bus stops range from 300,000 VND to 500,000 VND (14-24 USD).
According to State regulations, travel businesses are not allowed toraise fares on coaches by more than 60 percent for departures on January24 and the days that follow.
Statistical data fromHo Chi Minh City's Department of Transport shows that over 100 travelservice enterprises are plying illegally in the city.
"The city wants the department to crack down on illegal passengercoaches and bus stops. The police force will be working all day at busstations such as Mien Dong, Mien Tay, An Suong, and Nga Tu Ga duringpeak hours to deal with the problem of unregistered coaches and busstops," said deputy head of Ho Chi Minh City's Traffic Safety BoardNguyen Ngoc Tuong.
Hanoi police are also tighteningthe inspection of traffic violations to ensure passenger safety duringthe Tet festival by focusing on the prevention of illegal buses andstops.
A large police force from all districts inthe city will be on guard on roads and near bus stops to curtail thebusiness of unregistered passenger coaches.-VNA
These buses have been operating in Hanoiand Ho Chi Minh City, spurred by the growing need for travel optionsduring the period leading up to the Lunar New Year (Tet), the mostimportant and longest annual festival in the country.
In the southern hub, illegal ticket selling points have been spottedon many streets such as Vo Thanh Trang, Hong Lac, and Dong Den.
Some coach owners run promotional programmes to attract morepassengers. For example, a travel enterprise in the corner of Dong Denstreet offers customers a chance to win valuable prizes such asmotorbikes and television sets.
These unlicensedcoaches can be found in other areas such as Le Hong Phong and Tran Phustreets in District 10 and Pham Ngu Lao street in District 1, offeringtrips to the Central region.
The problem is not new,as these buses are reported to have existed for years, disguised astourist vehicles. There are even cases where coach owners hire land tobuild bus stops where they drop off passengers and sell ticketsillegally.
Illegal bus stops are also causing amajor problem in Hanoi. One of them is in Yen Phu Street where a numberof 16-seat passenger buses travelling along the Hanoi route to thenorthern provinces of Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Lang Son regularly stop topick up or drop off passengers.
Unregistered busstops can also be found in Hanoi in such places as Gia Lam, Giap Bat andNuoc Ngam. Illegal passenger coaches often operate during rush hour atthe intersection of Giai Phong street and in front of the My Dinh andGia Lam bus stations.
Several unregisteredbuses travel from and to Giap Bat bus terminal in Hoang Mai districtevery hour. They park on the side of the road to pick up passengers,causing serious traffic congestion in several areas.
Several transport service companies operating in Ho Chi Minh City havetaken advantage of the rise in the need for travel during Tet byraising the price of coach fares.
For instance, thecost of a bunk on coaches to central Thua Thien-Hue province has risento 1.2 million VND (57 USD), and a seat to central Quang Ngai provinceon the 27th and 28th days of the lunar calendar (January 27 and 28 thisyear) has gone up to 750,000 VND (36 USD).
The prices announced by official bus stops range from 300,000 VND to 500,000 VND (14-24 USD).
According to State regulations, travel businesses are not allowed toraise fares on coaches by more than 60 percent for departures on January24 and the days that follow.
Statistical data fromHo Chi Minh City's Department of Transport shows that over 100 travelservice enterprises are plying illegally in the city.
"The city wants the department to crack down on illegal passengercoaches and bus stops. The police force will be working all day at busstations such as Mien Dong, Mien Tay, An Suong, and Nga Tu Ga duringpeak hours to deal with the problem of unregistered coaches and busstops," said deputy head of Ho Chi Minh City's Traffic Safety BoardNguyen Ngoc Tuong.
Hanoi police are also tighteningthe inspection of traffic violations to ensure passenger safety duringthe Tet festival by focusing on the prevention of illegal buses andstops.
A large police force from all districts inthe city will be on guard on roads and near bus stops to curtail thebusiness of unregistered passenger coaches.-VNA
