Inter-provincial bus stations and passenger transport businesses have been asked to publicise the hotlines for contacting coach managers.— Photo thanhnien.vn

Hà Nội — Inter-provincial bus stations and passenger transport businesses have been asked to publicise the hotlines for contacting coach managers.

The request, made by Hà Nội’s Transport Department, aims to curb overloading and the overcharging of passengers during the upcoming holidays.

Coach owners have to list all information relating to routes, time tables and ticket prices for every coach, said the department’s deputy head Nguyễn Hoàng Linh.

Passenger transport businesses would not be allowed to raise fares without permission from authorised agencies, Linh said.

The transport inspection force was assigned to co-operate with the transport police in issuing measures to cope with “snail speed” buses and coaches that pick up and drop off passengers at unauthorised stops along roads.

Coaches found to be in violation would be strictly punished, Linh said.

“If coaches are discovered to be violating regulations several times, they will receive the highest punishment of having their operation licences revoked and drivers dismissed,” he said.

In an effort to tighten operations of inter-provincial coaches, the department has recently issued a decision to fine 166 coaches that violated speed regulations and picked up passengers on roads in March.

Five coaches belonging to the Trường Đạt Transport and Tourism Company, Phúc Xuyên Company, Tuấn Thành Company, Phúc Hưng Company and the Tiến Bộ Company operating at the Mỹ Đình and Giáp Bát stations had their licences suspended for three months.

In addition, 22 coaches that were found to be overloading and overcharging passengers had their licences suspended for one month.

For the other 139 coaches found to be in violation in other provinces, the department has asked localities’ transport departments to decide their own punishments.

More coaches on holiday

To meet increasing demand from passengers during the upcoming holiday, many transport businesses have set up plans to put more coaches into service.

For example, the Hà Nội Bus Station Stock Company plans to send 700 more coaches to the stations of Giáp Bát, Mỹ Đình and Gia Lâm, Tiền Phong (Vanguard) newspaper reported.

On April 29 and 30, the company will increase its fleet by 200 at Giáp Bát Station, serving crowded routes between the provinces of Thanh Hóa, Nam Định, Thái Bình, Ninh Bình and Điện Biên.

The numbers of passengers who will return to the city after the holiday is expected to dramatically rise. The company, in co-operation with inner-city bus transport businesses, will mobilise 400 more buses to serve passengers on May 3. — VNS