The Ministry of Transport has given the green light to the implementation of GrabTaxi services in three provinces, including Thanh Hóa, An Giang and Đắk Nông.

A draft decree recently submitted by the Ministry of Transport to the Government includes managing cars booked via ride-hailing applications in the same way as taxis are currently regulated, aiming to create an even playing field between traditional taxi firms and apps like Grab.

Grab has cooperated with Taxi Mekong to GrabTaxi services in southern Bạc Liêu Province.

Southeast Asian ride-hailing company Grab on Tuesday officially launched its on-demand food delivery service GrabFood in Hà Nội.

Việt Nam’s National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) has ordered the traffic safety boards of Hà Nội and HCMC and GrabTaxi Việt Nam Co Ltd to regulate and strictly handle Grab riders using mobile phones when riding.

The Ministry of Transport has ordered GrabTaxi Việt Nam Co Ltd to halt a planned expansion; the company will only be permitted to grow within the five localities in their pilot programme.

Vietnam Competition Authority (VCA), under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, has decided to conduct a preliminary investigation into Grab’s purchase of Uber’s stakes in Việt Nam.

The bumpy road thus far for ride-hailing companies Uber and Grab in Việt Nam could well end in a jagged cliff as authorities turn the scanner on their operations, tax practices and competition with domestic taxi operators.

Following a Ministry of Transport directive asking Grab Việt Nam to stop providing car hailing services in certain provinces, the company said its services did not violate laws.

After Grab announced the launch of GrabTaxi in Khánh Hòa, the provincial Department of Transport said operation of the ride hailing services firm was not licensed in the central province.