Departing the "Happy Bus" to take 900 people home for Tet for free

On the morning of February 5, 2024 (the 26th day of the Lunar New Year), the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Trading Cooperatives ( Saigon Co.op ) organized the Happy Bus Trip to take 900 people home to celebrate Tet. The convoy of 20 new 45-seat cars departed from two directions: Ho Chi Minh City (departure point: Co.opmart To Ky - Trung My Tay Ward, District 12) to the provinces of the West - Southeast, Central and Central Highlands; from the capital Hanoi (departure point: Co.opmart Hanoi - Ha Dong District) to the provinces of the North and Northwest. This year, the program received the support of Unilever Vietnam, Coca Cola Vietnam, P&G Vietnam and Mayhome. Passengers were covered for all travel expenses, free meals and drinks throughout the journey, given Tet gift baskets and road fees with a total value of more than 1,000,000 VND/person. Notably, when the convoy passed through each locality where Co.opmart was located, Co.opmart staff there would provide water and meals for passengers to continue their journey home to celebrate Tet.

Of the 900 passengers of the Happy Bus, the majority are workers working in industrial parks and export processing zones in the city; students studying at universities and colleges; freelance workers; job seekers... More than 40% of the passengers are families of 2-3 members or more, including many children accompanying their parents to their hometowns to celebrate Tet. To ensure the safety of passengers, the Happy Bus drivers are carefully selected; on the same route, the drivers will take turns driving to ensure that the passengers are taken home. It is expected that the farthest bus will arrive after 24 hours (ie February 6, the 27th of Tet) in Quang Binh .

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thang - Director of Co.opmart Operations Division said: "Saigon Co.op's 2024 Tet message is "Come to Co.op to bring Tet home" and today 900 passengers will be "taken home by Co.op to bring Tet home" with the Happy Bus. First implemented in 2023, Saigon Co.op's Happy Bus is highly appreciated for its socialization, humanity and suitability to organize in big cities that attract workers nationwide. Following that success, this year the program has been expanded to the capital Hanoi , expected to be built into an annual activity of the unit on the basis of connecting with agencies and organizations nationwide". Since its inception, Saigon Co.op has made constant efforts to bring the best value to customers, the community and society. Especially in 2024, Saigon Co.op is aiming for a special milestone of 35 years of establishment and development. In addition to focusing on business, maintaining stable prices, bringing Vietnamese goods to all parts of the country, Saigon Co.op also expanded programs for the community and society. During the Lunar New Year, Saigon Co.op organized many support programs for workers to celebrate Tet such as: 0-dong fair selling essential goods at 0-dong price, 0-dong Tet mini supermarket, more than 250 mobile sales trips bringing more than 5,000,000 price-stabilized items, high-quality Vietnamese goods to people in industrial parks - export processing zones, remote areas; presented 5,000 gifts with a total value of 3 billion VND to union members and workers in the program "Workers' Festival - Charity Fair" on Co.op Online.