Queues of vehicles waiting for inspection in an inspection centre in Hà Nội cause traffic congestion. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The crackdown on corruption in the vehicle inspection industry has resulted in a severe shortage of qualified staff, leading to overcrowding and delays at centres.

The 29-03V centre in Hà Nội's Cầu Giấy District was overwhelmed by vehicles seeking inspections on Tuesday. The queue stretched for hundreds of metres from the centre's gate, causing traffic congestion.

"The holidays are coming up and my vehicle's inspection is due soon, so I decided to get it inspected early," said one driver.

"I knew that I would have to spend the whole morning waiting in line here."

The situation is expected to worsen as the demand for inspections increases ahead of the holidays on April 30 and May 1.

According to the Vietnam Register, the government body overseeing vehicle inspections, there are currently 1,760 active inspectors and 277 inspection centres across the country.

The crackdown has led to 16 centres being temporarily suspended and more than 900 inspectors prosecuted. Many of them have been dismissed or resigned.

Only a small number remain working while out on bail awaiting trial. With more centres still under investigation, further shortages seem inevitable.

Legally, inspectors convicted will have their licences permanently revoked, barring them from the profession.

Any centre that has at least two inspectors having their licences revoked within 12 months will face a three-month mandatory suspension.

The Register calculates that the number of centres to be temporarily suspended will soon reach 70 across 24 provinces.

When coupled with the forecast spike in demand, the mass suspension could leave 31 provinces and cities, including Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, and HCM City, facing severe bottlenecks.

Some localities such as Bắc Kạn, Hòa Bình and Thái Bình might have no active centres at all during this crunch time.

In response to the situation, the Register has proposed delaying the revocation of licences for inspectors who have been convicted and given suspended sentences.

The overseeing body also proposed that centres with at least two inspectors having their licences revoked be allowed to operate for additional time.

These measures aim to maintain an adequate workforce for inspection.

Proposals have also been made to selectively rehire trial-awaiting inspectors on temporary employment contracts until their cases are adjudicated.

The Register has also urged local authorities to provide opportunities for inspectors who have committed minor offenses to redeem themselves and continue working in the industry.

If approved, the proposals will take effect as of January 1, 2026, allowing inspectors with suspended sentences and to-be-suspended centres to remain active for additional time.

The Register has also urged centres to increase their working hours, especially during the holidays, to alleviate the backlogs.

It also urged them to put in place online appointment booking portal and warned of ban against any centre refusing to inspected vehicles that had successfully booked an appointment online.

Vehicle owners are advised to have repairs and maintenance done preemptively before arriving to speed up the inspection process and reduce wait times.

The agency also urged centres to strictly adhere to safety standards and refrain from issuing certificates to vehicles that do not meet the required standards. — VNS