Many of the more than 300 coach operators worry they may be forced into bankruptcy if Hanoi's Luong Yen Bus Station is closed on July 1.
The station, managed by Luong Yen Food Company, under Vinafood Corporation, has been operation in since 2004. However the station’s business license will expire on June 30. Luong Yen Food Company has proposed that Hanoi municipal authorities close the station beginning July 1. After being closed, the station would be handed over to Vinafood, who plans to build a high-rise building on the site.
Luong Yen Station faces risk of closure
Hai, who manages a coach which runs Luong Yen-Cam Pha Town route, said, “We only heard about the closure through the media. It is far too short notice to close the station in July. We don't know how we will survive, as we had to borrow nearly VND3 billion (USD142,857) to buy the coach, particularly now that the city stations are so overcrowded."
If the station is closed, more than 300 coaches will be put into a very difficult situation, he added.
Hoang Van Thanh, a driver, said, “We've tried to find new stations but it will not be easy. There will be problems in schedule arrangements and in attracting passengers. Gia Lam Station is the most feasible for us, but for our regular customers it is much less convenient."
Thanh expected to get support from the station manager and the city to move to other stations if the decision to close made.
Seeking help from the local Department of Transport
The news of Luong Yen Station closing is also a worry for coach operators at Giap Bap and My Dinh stations. They fear that increased competition over a limited number of passengers will hurt their businesses.
Director of My Dinh Station, Nguyen Tat Thanh said, the station could receive around 30 coaches for the Quang Ninh and Haiphong routes if required by the municipal Department of Transport. But, he added, the number of passengers is relatively low, which could cause difficulty for bus companies.
According to drivers, the best solution is to move coaches running on the Hanoi-Haiphong, Quang Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Duong routes to the Gia Lam Station because they would not need to go through the inner city, and would be more convenient for passengers.
The director of Gia Lam Station, Nguyen Nhu Truc, said if Luong Yen Bus Station stoped operations and the municipal Department of Transport gave specific instructions, his station could accommodate nearly 200 coaches per day, as long as they fully met requirements on passenger transport.
