Traffic inspectors discover a passenger bus illegally parked on Lê Thị Hồng Gấm Street in District 1 last November. — Photo baogiaothong.vn

HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Transport has asked Thủ Đức City authorities to enforce punishments for illegal picking up or dropping off passengers on the main road to the Rạch Chiếc Sports Complex.

The department has asked the HCM City Road Traffic Infrastructure Management Centre to install signs and banners prohibiting picking up and dropping off passengers illegally on the road (in both directions) in An Phú Ward.

The department has also proposed Thủ Đức City extract data via GPS from the Directorate of Roads to sanction illegal passenger pick-ups and drop-offs on the road.

The department said it was considering withdrawing the licence of any transport company if found to be in violation many times.

The department has asked the Thủ Đức City Police in collaboration with its inspectors to strengthen inspection and strictly handle the violations on this road.

The inspectors must report the results of the inspection to the department before March 10.

In a related move, since the middle of January, the department has banned sleeper buses from entering the city centre between 6am and 10pm to crack down on picking up and dropping off passengers illegally in the city centre.

Accordingly, sleeper buses are not allowed to enter the off-limits area within National Highway 1A, Nguyễn Văn Linh, Võ Chí Công, Nguyễn Thị Định, Đồng Văn Cống, Mai Chí Thọ and Hà Nội Highway during the time limitation mentioned above.

This area has been off limits for cargo trucks since 2018.

However, sleeper buses are allowed to travel on those roads without any time limitation on their way to the new Miền Đông (Eastern) Bus Station in Thủ Đức City and Miền Tây (Western) Bus Station in Bình Tân District on fixed routes regulated by the transport department.

Sleeper buses traveling to and from the city are only allowed to pick up and drop off passengers at five designated bus stations (An Sương Bus Station in Hóc Môn District, Ngã Tư Ga Bus Station in District 12, new Miền Đông Bus Station, old Miền Đông Bus Station in Bình Thạnh District and Miền Tây Bus Station).

But many sleeper buses have been discovered picking up and dropping off passengers at illegal locations.

The department’s traffic inspectors have identified nearly 80 locations across the city where passenger transport services often pick up or drop off passengers illegally, mostly in Thủ Đức City, and the districts of 5, 10, 12, Bình Tân and Tân Phú. — VNS