Dozens of passenger buses and aggressive workers employed by transport companies were suspended due to violating regulations and overly aggressive competition in Hanoi’s Gia Lam Bus Station.
Passenger buses cause disorder in Gia Lam Bus Station
Press-gangs to be assistant drivers
Some passenger bus companies operating out of the bus station hired press-gangs to struggle with other companies for passengers causing public disorder and traffic congestion.
Nguyen Hong Khanh, senior lieutenant-colonel of Long Bien District Police Department was informed of the problem in May and immediately carried out an inspection. These press-gangs were hired by Hai Phong City’s Doan Xuan Trading Company, and were used to force passengers to use their services or struggle with workers of other transport companies. The district police have since driven the hired men away.
Public order and security in Gia Lam Bus Station has become a complicated issue, with many passenger bus companies violating bus station regulations.
Passenger buses to be suspended
Nguyen Nhu Truc, Director of Gia Lam Bus Station, said, “Training courses organised by many of the transport companies are riddled with weaknesses and shortcomings. Bus drivers often don’t comply with the strict timetable set by the station management board. They are usually due to waiting for more passengers and may suddenly stop at unpermitted sites creating disorder and traffic jams.”
Public buses also violate these regulations. Several buses on the same route may park at the same time, occupying large amounts of space. Sixty one buses were suspended from operations due to violating parking, timetable regulations and for lacking parking tickets. 71 small huts were removed, with a total fines worth VND74 million (USD3,534).
Truc said, “We let passenger bus companies to supervise each other besides the bus station’s management board, it helps our stretched human resources a lot.”
The director also said that in the near future, camera would be installed in the gateways and connected between the station with Gia Lam District’s police department, Gia Thuy Ward’s police department, and the 113 emergency police to deal with violations more effectively.
Dam Xuan Luy, Director of Hai Phong Department of Transport affirmed, “If drivers or assistant drivers of transport companies are being disciplined by the police or face prosecution due to traffic violations, the department will confiscate the transport trading license of those companies.”
Passenger buses often violate timetable
