Don't put passengers in a difficult situation.

At a recent conference with road transport businesses organized by the Traffic Police Department (Ministry of Public Security), a representative of a transport company unexpectedly stated: "To reduce accidents, sleeper buses should be banned." This opinion has attracted significant public attention, as sleeper buses remain a popular mode of transportation, chosen by many for inter-provincial travel.

Just looking at the number of sleeper buses operating daily on North-South routes, especially from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to other provinces, shows how truly useful this mode of transportation is. Many passengers surveyed expressed satisfaction with its convenience, time savings, and reasonable cost; they can simply sleep on the bus and arrive on time the next morning, ensuring their health. Given the limitations of transportation infrastructure, the high cost of airfare, the time-consuming nature of train travel, and the limited availability of services on all routes, banning sleeper buses without suitable alternatives would deprive people of a legitimate choice. This is not to mention the economic losses for thousands of transportation businesses and related workers.

According to experts, the majority of sleeper buses currently in operation are converted from 45-seat buses. Technically, this conversion can affect the load-bearing structure, altering the vehicle's center of gravity and increasing the risk of overturning in collisions or on steep slopes. In fact, many accidents involving sleeper buses occur at night, resulting in significant casualties. However, this does not mean that sleeper buses are inherently dangerous, especially since state management agencies have never conducted a comprehensive and serious report or study on the safety levels, accident rates, and causes of accidents involving this type of vehicle.

In countries like South Korea, China, and Thailand, sleeper buses are not banned and are even encouraged to develop in a modern direction. Since 2010, China has begun restricting modified sleeper buses and gradually replacing them with original, high-speed rail infrastructure, while also boosting investment in high-speed rail infrastructure – a safe and comfortable overnight transportation solution to meet long-distance travel needs.

The issue here is, regulatory agencies need to clarify where the safety risks of sleeper buses come from: vehicle design, vehicle and driver management, or traffic infrastructure? If the risks are high, why not ban them at the source? Mr. Nguyen Van Quyen, Chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Transport Association, affirmed that there is currently no legal basis to ban sleeper buses, because all vehicles allowed to circulate have been registered and inspected according to regulations. Interior modifications are designed and constructed according to the approval of competent authorities. Allowing substandard sleeper buses to circulate is the responsibility of the management and licensing agencies.

Sleeper buses may not be the ideal mode of transport, but eliminating them requires a forward-looking transition process, with synchronized preparation in terms of technology, infrastructure, and policy. Banning sleeper buses without offering equivalent alternatives in terms of price and convenience is tantamount to forcing passengers into difficult situations.

MINH DUY

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dung-don-hanh-khach-vao-the-kho-post807543.html