Teams of motorbike taxi drivers "cover" the gates of bus stations
Coach stations, bus stations... are still the places where the largest number of motorbike taxi drivers gather, because there is a high demand for travel here.
At My Dinh Bus Station (Hanoi), there are always dozens of motorbike taxi drivers standing outside the gate, and motorbikes parked on the sidewalk. There are all kinds of vehicles here, such as technology-based motorbike taxis from various companies and traditional motorbike taxis.
"Where are you going, cancel it, look at the price on the app and I'll take you for that price, go now, why wait?", a traditional motorbike taxi driver said to a person waiting for a ride.
Occasionally, the loudspeakers reminding the staff inside the bus station. Accordingly, My Dinh Bus Station stipulates that motorbike taxi drivers are not allowed to enter the station premises to solicit passengers. Outside, there is also a team of supervisors to prevent motorbike taxi drivers from standing and obstructing vehicles entering and exiting the station.
Sharing with reporters, Ms. Nong Thi Hue (Tuyen Quang) said that usually when arriving at the station, she will book a motorbike taxi in advance. When the driver is almost there, she will go from the station to the outside.
"I'm afraid to leave early because the motorbike taxi drivers at the station gate are quite annoying. If I book on the app, I know the driver's information, route, and price, so I will prioritize choosing them," Ms. Hue shared.
Similar situations also appear at the gates of other bus stations, such as Nuoc Ngam, Giap Bat...
Civilized and polite motorbike taxi drivers trusted by customers
Compared to 9-10 years ago, security and order at bus stations have improved a lot. In particular, banning or restricting motorbike taxi drivers from entering the station premises brings comfort to passengers.
Present at Giap Bat Bus Station, dozens of uniformed motorbike taxi drivers are allowed to operate inside the station. This is a team of motorbike taxi drivers under the management of a business affiliated with Giap Bat Bus Station Management Board to serve passengers.
"Each driver wears a uniform shirt, with the driver's name, vehicle number, and hotline number of the management unit printed on the back of the shirt. In addition, each driver also has a chest tag with an identification photo attached," said Mr. Tran Van Long, Head of the Team supervising the activities of the Giap Bat Bus Station motorbike taxi.
In particular, the management unit strictly prohibits drivers from soliciting passengers, forcing prices, picking up passengers in locations other than those specified, or behaving disrespectfully toward passengers.
Sharing with Lao Dong newspaper, Mr. Tran Manh Ha - Deputy Director of Giap Bat Bus Station said that since implementing the above model, passengers have had more options for civilized and polite means of transportation, while contributing to ensuring security and order in the area inside and outside the station.
Regarding the proposal that motorbike taxi drivers must have a "practice card" when operating, which the Hanoi People's Committee is seeking opinions on, Mr. Tran Manh Ha completely agrees and believes that it should be implemented soon. The Deputy Director of Giap Bat Bus Station said that there are currently no specific statistics on the number of motorbike taxi drivers operating in Hanoi, so implementation will certainly face many difficulties.
"However, when making the proposal, the authorities must have calculated a specific plan. If we can manage the activities of the motorbike taxi team well, people will benefit and feel secure when traveling on trips where they know clearly who the driver is and which unit is in charge...
In addition, clearly defining pick-up points also helps ensure security, order, traffic safety, and convenience for passengers when needed, avoiding solicitation...", Mr. Tran Manh Ha shared.
In a recent proposal, the Hanoi People's Committee encourages individuals involved in passenger and cargo transportation by motorbike, scooter, and rudimentary vehicles to participate and establish organizations (cooperatives, professional associations) to help and support each other during their operations.
The regulation requiring motorbike taxi drivers to have a "practice card" when operating is expected to be considered for promulgation in 2024 and take effect immediately upon signing. However, the draft does not currently provide sanctions or penalties for drivers who do not comply with card registration.
