Proposals to pilot dedicated school buses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

During a group discussion on the socio-economic situation on the morning of October 26th, delegate Vuong Quoc Thang (from the Quang Nam Provincial National Assembly Delegation) noted that in recent years, the infrastructure system in Vietnam, especially transportation infrastructure, has received significant investment, resulting in a considerable improvement in traffic congestion in major cities.

"In the two major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, traffic congestion during rush hour still persists. This is a pressing issue for commuters and significantly impacts socio -economic development. In 2022, in Ho Chi Minh City alone, Deputy Director of the Department of Transport Phan Cong Bang stated that traffic congestion caused an estimated loss of approximately 6 billion USD," said delegate Vuong Quoc Thang.

According to him, this traffic congestion only occurs during peak hours, at certain locations and on specific routes.

In recent times, the Government and several localities have made great efforts to implement remedial measures such as investing in and applying science and technology, improving the quality of infrastructure and traffic signal control systems; strictly handling traffic violations and encroachment on road lanes and sidewalks; improving the efficiency of the public transportation system; rerouting traffic; implementing a public bicycle rental model in urban areas; adjusting school and work hours; limiting students from attending schools outside their designated zones... all aimed at reducing the number of people participating in traffic during peak hours.

However, the level of improvement in some locations and routes is still not significant - especially in the area in front of primary and secondary schools during school drop-off and pick-up times.

"Given the above situation, in my opinion, the Government should assign relevant agencies to research and evaluate the matter in order to soon develop a policy for investing in and implementing a school bus system with state budget support, initially piloting it in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City," the representative from Quang Nam province proposed.

According to Mr. Thang, many countries around the world are operating dedicated bus systems for high school students. Applying science and technology to bus systems and operations helps minimize risks for passengers and increase efficiency and effectiveness in transportation, such as: installing GPS tracking devices; implementing route and pick-up point optimization systems; and using intelligent camera systems including features to identify any passengers left behind on the bus (if any)...

In Vietnam, some major cities have student transportation systems, but these are only implemented in a few private educational institutions. This system only meets the needs of a very small segment of the population, and the costs are relatively high, making it unaffordable for the majority.

Representative Vuong Quoc Thang argued that if the school bus model were widely implemented with investment and support from the State, its effectiveness would have a significant impact on the socio-economic situation, such as: improving traffic congestion in large cities, especially in front of school gates; reducing air pollution emissions; and easing the burden of transportation for parents. As a result, parents could focus their time and energy on working more effectively, boosting labor productivity...

According to Mr. Thang, the school bus model also helps improve student management before and after school hours, limiting negative activities and even social vices.

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