Bus passengers in HCM City often endure poor conditions at bus stops, including infringement of pavement areas by vendors. – Photo laodong.vn

HCM CITY –  Only around 55 per cent of wards and communes in HCM City have easy access to the city's bus services, which include 2,300 buses operating on 128 routes in all 24 districts. 

Nguyễn Hoài Thư, a student at HCM City University of Technology, told Vnexpress that she and other students often have to stand on the street at the bus stop because the pavement is occupied by vendors. 

Near District 9’s Suối Tiên Theme Park, bus riders have to either wait at one of five bus stops in front of the park or at a bus stop station across the park where many vendors sell goods.

The city has about 4,400 bus stops, including 638 bus stations. The number of bus stops has grown slowly over the years.

People waiting at bus stops sometimes have to endure harsh sunlight or rain, while some bus stations are located next to garbage containers emitting strong smells, warding off bus riders.

The number of bus travelers has also dropped in recent years, with a 12.1 per cent decrease in 2019 compared to 2018.

Lê Hoàn, deputy director of the HCM City Management Centre of Public Transport, told that investment in bus infrastructure has been limited.

The centre is currently completing work on 43 new bus stations, and is upgrading 12 and replacing eight. It will also erect 28 bus stand poles and 34 information boards this year. Next year, it plans to either build or upgrade 179 bus stops and 235 bus stand poles.

The city Department of Transport plans to increase accessibility to bus stops and bus stands, especially in high-demand areas such as Việt Nam National University – HCM City and streets leading to the Miền Đông Coach Station.

The transport management centre is conducting inspections at bus stations and has asked districts and wards to deal with vendors who take up space in bus stations. – VNS