Under the draft, HCM City plans to add 95 bus routes, bringing its network to a total of 205 routes.
According to the Department of Construction, it is necessary to apply new bus management regulations to replace decade-old rules, updating policies and creating a unified legal framework suited to the city’s new administrative structure.
Buses in HCM City (Photo by Ngoc Tan)
The draft regulations propose a legal framework for developing bus transport infrastructure, allowing authorities to designate priority or dedicated lanes for buses in approved traffic plans.
The draft also recommends standardising bus design requirements, including on-board cameras, cashless payment devices, and fire prevention and control systems.
HCM City currently operates 2,378 buses on 164 routes, comprising 108 subsidised and 56 non-subsidised. The fleet includes 588 running on compressed natural gas (CNG), 1,627 on diesel, and 163 electric buses.
The city’s bus network has 5,072 stops, including 947 shelters and others marked by poles, hanging signs, or information boxes. Shelters feature wheelchair access, surveillance cameras, and lighting.
In the first half of this year, HCM City buses served 283 million passengers, up about 16.5 per cent on-year.
