The capital is facing congestion issues caused by illegal passenger buses that are picking up passengers at random locations.
This has caused concerns about unfair competition among some transportation firms because those passenger buses pick up passengers randomly on the streets, they do not pay fees for the bus station or pay taxes. Those buses are kept at abandoned or vacant lots.
Buses kept at abandoned or vacant lots
Hung Thanh Travel Bus Company has a ticket office on Tran Khat Chan Street. Each day, three to four buses will pick up passengers in front of the office. According to the locals, the buses often come during rush hours and cause huge congestion, yet, the operation has run for three years without any intervention from the authorities.
Hung Thanh passenger bus
At another ticket office of Hung Thanh on Tran Quang Khai Street, three buses line up, occupying a huge part of the street to pick up new passengers.
Major Nguyen Duc Huan, head of Traffic Police Unit 4, said they can only fine the buses for parking at wrong places.
Tran Viet Hai, head of the road inspectorate of Hai Ba Trung District, said even though they banned firms from establishing illegal pick-up points, there were many loopholes that could be exploited. He hopes that when Decree 46 on sanctions on road and railway traffic takes effect on August 1, the authorities will have clearer legal mechanism to completely deal with the illegal buses.