What do the authorities say?

TPO - Besides stopping and parading on the streets, many passenger buses operating on Hanoi's roads have also been found to trick passengers into boarding and then dropping them off in the middle of the road. This is happening on many streets, but there is a lack of effective handling and coordination from the authorities.

Over several days of observation, Tien Phong newspaper reporters found that, in addition to illegal parking and turning roads and sidewalks into makeshift bus stops, many passenger buses were also "picking up passengers by any means." A typical example is the case of a passenger named Tuan who complained to Giap Bat bus station about bus 35B - 00116 (Ninh Binh license plate) not going to Phu Ly ( Ha Nam ) but instead tricking passengers into boarding at Phap Van and then dropping them off on the old National Highway 1 (not going to Phu Ly). The bus was temporarily suspended from service by the station.

At the My Dinh bus station area, reporters observed that the Pham Hung - Pham Van Dong route has the highest volume of traffic in western Hanoi, but is also among the most chaotic. On May 28-29, reporters filmed and photographed dozens of passenger buses violating parking and passenger pick-up/drop-off regulations, including vehicles with license plates: 19N-5795, 19B-00317; 14B04384; 29F-05801, 98B-01874...

Along the Vo Van Kiet - Ring Road 3 route, there are also many illegal passenger pick-up and drop-off points, including the Kim Chung intersection, the Nam Hong intersection, and the Van Tri bridge (Dong Anh)...

Street parades and scams targeting tourists in Hanoi: What do authorities say? (Image 1)

The passenger bus 35B-00116, which picks up and drops off passengers along the way, was photographed by a reporter from Tien Phong newspaper while operating on Giai Phong Street.

On National Highway 6, passing through the Yen Nghia bus station area, the direction towards the city center sees a large number of passenger buses stopping and parking to pick up passengers or to receive and deliver goods in violation of regulations. Some of the buses that have stopped and parked, causing traffic obstruction, as recorded by Tien Phong newspaper in recent days, include those with license plates: 15B-02842, 18F-00510, 15B-03842…

On the streets of Ngoc Lam and Ngo Gia Kham on the afternoon of May 27th, many vehicles were seen moving at a snail's pace (below 20km/h), lined up and parked right on the road.

To determine whether vehicles operating on the roads have operating contracts (slots), a reporter from Tien Phong newspaper recently worked with the leadership of Giap Bat bus station. After reviewing and checking, the Giap Bat bus station leadership stated that approximately 60% of the list published by the newspaper consists of vehicles with operating slots at the station, about 20% have slots but only operate on certain days of the month, and 10% are vehicles without slots – that is, vehicles operating illegally or without permits.

Specifically, the bus station clarified that approximately 20% of the vehicles operating at the station only run for a few days a month, including vehicles with license plates: 35B-00324, 35B-00144, 35B-00323… For the remaining 10% of vehicles operating without a contract (slot) at the station, Giap Bat bus station stated that these include vehicles with license plates 29B-07832, 29B-61220, …

What do the traffic police, regular police, and inspectors say?

Based on the list of vehicles regularly operating on routes through the bus station area such as Giai Phong, Kim Dong, Ngoc Hoi, and Phap Van, investigations by relevant authorities have revealed that there are many "unlicensed" or "market" vehicles, including those with contracts with the bus station but not operating within the station.

According to regulations, intercity passenger vehicles must have a permit, departure order, and trip logbook. Furthermore, the Giai Phong - Ngoc Hoi route is patrolled by numerous law enforcement agencies, with up to four permanent checkpoints manned by the Traffic Police Department: the Giai Phong - Kim Dong checkpoint, the Giai Phong - Nguyen Huu Tho checkpoint, the Giai Phong - Ngoc Hoi checkpoint, and the Phap Van - National Highway 1B (expressway) checkpoint. However, passenger vehicles stopping to pick up passengers or stopping to receive or deliver goods in violation of regulations still occur frequently and continuously.

Street parades and scams targeting tourists in Hanoi: What do authorities say? (Image 2)

A long line of passenger buses paraded down Pham Hung Street, with the bus attendants opening the doors and sticking their heads out to wave to passengers, next to signs prohibiting stopping and parking and speeding below 30 km/h.

Following a series of articles in the Tien Phong newspaper reflecting on the reappearance of passenger buses parading through the streets, the Hoang Mai District Police stated that they had invited the Hanoi Department of Transport Inspectorate and the Hanoi Traffic Police Department (specifically Traffic Police Team No. 14 stationed in the area) to participate in an inter-agency task force to coordinate the handling of violating passenger buses in a comprehensive and effective manner. However, subsequently, this inter-agency task force only included the Hoang Mai Police and the Hanoi Department of Transport Inspectorate, with the presence of Traffic Police Team No. 14 absent.

The Hoang Mai Traffic Inspection Team, under the Hanoi Department of Transport Inspection, also stated that, currently, within their authority, the inspection force is only permitted to inspect and handle static traffic – that is, when the passenger vehicle has stopped. Traffic police only have the authority to stop vehicles that are moving or running on the road. However, within their jurisdiction, the traffic inspection team will coordinate with the Hoang Mai District Police to inspect and handle passenger vehicles that violate regulations.

When asked by a reporter from Tien Phong newspaper why Traffic Police Team No. 14, Hanoi Traffic Police Department, did not participate in the inter-agency task force recently deployed by Hoang Mai District Police, a representative of the leadership of Traffic Police Team No. 14 stated that although they did not participate in the inter-agency task force, Team 14 will proactively deploy independent task forces.

When reporters raised public concerns about whether there might be multiple checkpoints for passenger buses on the same route or section of road, a representative of the leadership of Traffic Police Team No. 14 stated that the team would balance the situation to prevent such a situation from occurring.

Passenger buses were observed stopping, driving slowly, and picking up and dropping off passengers along the way:

Giap Bat Wharf area: 35B-00083, 18B-02476, 35B-00116, 35B-00178, 35B-00144, 35B-00323, 29B-07832, 35B-00995, 35B-00322, 18B-01555, 35B-0017, 17H-02957, 29B-61220…

My Dinh Bus Station area: 19N-5795, 19B-00317; 14B04384; 29F-05801, 98B-01874; 19F-00041; 14F-00054; 36B-02256; 20B-02379; 14B-01318; 19F-00108; 19B-01354; 19B-00392; 19B-00262; 99B-02779; 21B-00625; 98B-01092; 98B-01874; 19B-00071; 29B-19338; 29B-13422; 21B-00568, 29B-13889, 88B-00654...

Yen Nghia bus station area: 15B-02842, 18F-00510, 17H-02004, 98F-00594, 17F-00410F, 98F-00591, 18B-01161, 15B-03691, 15B-03842, 34B-01924…

Gia Lam bus station area: 98B-01110, 98B-00217, 15H-06596, 98B-01050, 98B-02343, 34B-03111, 34F-00198, 29B-01563...

On the afternoon of May 30th, the Director of Gia Lam Bus Station, Nguyen Duc Vui, stated that following a report by Tien Phong newspaper regarding passenger buses stopping and picking up passengers on roads near the bus station, the unit conducted a review and inspection. It was found that all the vehicles mentioned in the report had operating permits (contracts) at the station. Among these were two buses (on adjacent routes) and the rest were passenger buses operating on fixed routes. Although the violations occurred outside the bus station, because they had operating contracts at the station and violated traffic safety and transportation regulations, the station has recently invited representatives from all bus companies to meetings. During these meetings, the representatives and drivers admitted their गलती and signed commitments not to repeat the offense.

Comment (0)