Taking a break in the middle of a heritage city
In recent months, the situation of long-distance passenger buses blatantly entering the center of Hue City to pick up and drop off passengers in violation of regulations has been happening publicly during the day, even with fixed times. Even though they do not register for bus routes to the city's bus stations, many bus companies still "circumvent the law", using representative offices, delivery points or sidewalks as places to pick up customers. This is the reason why the already cramped inner-city traffic is even more chaotic.
It is noted that the passenger bus with license plate 38B-024.99 of Khanh Truyen bus company is only allowed to run on the Hue bypass but still calmly turns deep into the center. At 1:49 p.m. on October 22, the bus stopped right in front of an office with a "Khanh Truyen Bus Company" sign on Nguyen Truong To Street, opposite the gate of the old Hue Medical College. At the same time, at least three other vehicles of this airline and shuttle buses were parked along both sides of the road. After receiving the goods, the bus continued to turn onto Nguyen Hue Street, ran through the southern bus station and then headed towards Da Nang. Just 2 minutes later, the car 38H-036.34 and the same company picked up and dropped off passengers right in front of the gas station near the southern bus station, then rounded up to An Cuu market to receive the goods.
On the same night, two vehicles 36H-170.50 and 36H-170.48 of Thanh Trung Travel were operating heavily. At 22:02, the 36H-170.50 bus parked right at the foot of the Melia Vinpearl Hue building to pick up passengers and then spread in many different directions while another bus also entered the center as planned.
During the days of Hue struggling in the flood in late October and early November, vehicles still blatantly "rampant". On the afternoon of October 26, when thousands of people were taking their vehicles to the highlands to avoid flooding, Minh Map's 75B-019.53 vehicles still squeezed through the crowded traffic on Hung Vuong Street, causing prolonged congestion. Right there, Camel Travel picked up passengers in front of the airline's office in the pouring rain.
Many other vehicles such as Hanh Luyen, Thuy Ngan, Tan Quang Dung, Hung Hung... are also recorded regularly entering the center to pick up passengers, although the regulation requires long routes to run on the bypass.
The leader of Hue Bus Station Joint Stock Company confirmed that most of these vehicles are registered as "tourism" but operate as fixed routes, creating unfair competition and putting great pressure on inner-city traffic.
There are new reflections on the drastic implementation
The situation of illegal buses and illegal stations not only causes disorder but also causes many bus companies complying with regulations at wharves to fall into a state of stagnation. Every month, the route company has to close the wharf, pay staff salaries, maintain inspections... but all customers are taken away right in the heart of the city.
According to Mr. Le Viet Hoai - Director of the Northern Bus Station Enterprise, disguised contract vehicles cause loss of bus service fees, tax revenue and high risk of accidents. In particular, passengers riding a vehicle without insurance or invoices are at great risk when an incident occurs.
From information provided by Lao Dong Newspaper about the situation of illegal buses and illegal bus stations in Hue City, Hue City Police have launched a peak period of inspection and handling of the situation of disguised passenger buses. Lieutenant Colonel Vo Dong Anh - Deputy Captain of Road Traffic Police Team No. 2 said that the force arranged patrol teams at hot spots, increased checkpoints at hotel areas, bus stations and places that often gather for parachuting vehicles.
In the early days, we handled more than 20 cases, mainly running on the wrong route, picking up and dropping off passengers in the wrong place, said Lieutenant Colonel Vo Dong Anh.
Many bus companies are trying to "circumvent the law" by using fake travel contracts and group contracts, making inspection difficult. However, the authorities still made records of a series of vehicles of Camel Travel, Thanh Trung Travel, Minh Map, Sam Huong... when the vehicles left the center when they were "full".
Mr. V.M.T., the owner of the Hue - Da Nang route, commented that for a long time, handling illegal vehicles and illegal bus stations has not been " strong", so the competitive environment is unfair. Enterprises that comply with regulations hope that the authorities will continue to strictly handle violating vehicles.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Huynh Tue - Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department of Hue City Police, in the coming time, the unit will maintain fixed patrols, be mobile in hot spots, and tighten control at the gateway to the center. The Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department of Hue City Police affirmed that he will handle the lack of prohibited areas, aiming to restore transportation order and build safe and civilized traffic.
