Ho Chi Minh City People's Council may meet around April 20, if the Resolution on bus ticket exemption is passed, the policy will take effect after about 10 days.
Ho Chi Minh City plans to spend 7,000 billion VND per year to exempt buses, aiming to reduce traffic jams and improve the environment.
This number is clearly not small, but it is an investment for the future of urban areas.
Currently, the city has spent about 1,700 billion VND/year to exempt buses for people aged 60 and over. Expanding policies is not only meaningful for social security, but also a "push" to change traffic habits.
Bus ticket costs, the biggest barrier for people, especially low-income groups, are almost eliminated.
The most obvious benefit is reducing traffic pressure.
A city with millions of motorbikes like Ho Chi Minh City cannot solve traffic jams just by widening roads. The problem lies in reducing personal vehicles.
Reality shows that when Metro Line No. 1 Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien went into operation, the number of passengers increased sharply, leading to buses also increasing by about 35% in a short time.
A person abandoning a motorbike to take public transport not only reduces personal costs, but also contributes to reducing congestion for the entire system.
Hundreds of thousands, even millions of people changing together will create a big difference, something that administrative measures can hardly achieve.
The second benefit is the environment.
People switching from motorbikes to electric buses, emissions will be significantly reduced. This is not only a story of cleaner air, but also an improved quality of urban life.
In addition, this policy also has profound social significance.
Workers, students, and pupils have more opportunities to travel conveniently at almost zero cost. A civilized city is not only measured by infrastructure, but also by the ability to serve the people.
Of course, free does not mean laxity. If the bus is late, lacks amenities, and has a poor service attitude, even "0 VND" is difficult to retain passengers.
Therefore, along with policies must be comprehensive reform, re-planning routes, improving service quality, ensuring punctuality, safety and civilization.
Only then will buses truly become a priority choice, not a reluctant alternative.
Free buses will have the impact of changing social behavior. Many people abandon personal vehicles, the streets are clearer, the air is fresher, and everyone benefits.
Therefore, today's free bus spending, if implemented well, will be a "interest rate" for many years to come.
