City bus passengers ignore smart cards

HCM CITY — Smart cards introduced on a trial basis earlier this year on two HCM City bus routes have failed to attract passengers' interest, transport authorities have admitted.

Duong Hong Thanh, deputy director of the Department of Transport, said a mere 106 people had registered for the cards in the last two months.

The cards are issued on route numbers 1 (Sai Gon-Binh Tay) and 7 (Ben Thanh-Au Co-An Suong Coach Station), cost VND69,000 for 30 rides, and valid for a year.

Tickets cost VND4,000 on city buses.

Cards for 60 trips are also available and cost VND90,000, and just VND63,000 for students.

The department had planned to begin issuing the smart cards on all routes in the next few months, but it is clear that something needs to be done to make them more popular.

Phan Minh Tan, director of the Department of Science and Technology, said, work was being done to make cards more convenient and more durable to use, and to reduce their cost.

Ha Noi began issuing similar cards last December and has issued more than 5,000 so far. — VNS