"Tighten your belt"
As one of the long-standing taxi companies, Mai Linh Dak Lak Co., Ltd. has been striving to find solutions to adapt for almost a month now. With fuel prices fluctuating and constantly rising, the difficult problem is that, in the context of fierce price competition with electric taxis which offer cheaper fares (around 8,000 VND/km), increasing fares for gasoline-powered vehicles is almost impossible as it would lead to customer loss. To cut losses and maintain operations, the company has been forced to temporarily suspend the operation of approximately 17 of its vehicles, leaving them idle in parking lots.
Besides the pressure from direct operating costs, maintaining the size of the fleet is becoming a critical challenge for businesses. It is known that at the end of 2025, Mai Linh Dak Lak Co., Ltd. still maintained over 300 vehicles in stable operation. However, after a short period facing market fluctuations, this number has now sharply decreased to just over 200.
In reality, when fuel prices rise too high, there is no profit from each trip, and in some cases, losses are incurred, leaving cooperative vehicle owners in a situation where revenue does not cover expenses. If fuel prices do not cool down soon, a wave of cooperative vehicle owners requesting to cease operations is inevitable in the near future.
Mr. Chu Giang Nam, Director of Mai Linh Dak Lak Co., Ltd., said that the current operational situation for transportation businesses is just as difficult as during the COVID-19 pandemic. While waiting for gasoline prices to cool down, the company is making efforts to "tighten its belt" and save as much as possible on all input costs. Specifically, the company has had to move its office to a smaller location to reduce rent; and has encouraged staff to share the difficulties by voluntarily reducing working days. In addition, indirect positions such as technical staff responsible for vehicle repair have also been streamlined to cut the payroll budget.
Similarly, Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Suong, Director of Hung Gia Phu Trading Co., Ltd., stated that her company, primarily operating in the transportation sector, is directly affected by fluctuations in fuel prices and related costs such as gasoline, tolls, and road fees. Currently, the company operates 10 container trucks and is strengthening its monitoring of routes to optimize operational efficiency and reduce costs. Although some customers have shared the difficulties by supporting price adjustments, this support is still insignificant and cannot compensate for the increasing cost pressure. "Businesses are hoping for more solutions from the government to stabilize fuel prices and supply, thereby helping transportation operations remain stable," Ms. Suong shared.
 |
| Amid rising fuel prices, many bus companies have had to reduce their service frequency. Photo: H. Tuyet |
Narrowing the network
Not only taxis, but public passenger transport by bus is also facing a similar situation. Once the largest fleet in the western part of Dak Lak province, at its peak, Dak Lak Automobile Transport Joint Stock Company had approximately 120 vehicles operating on routes from the provincial center to remote villages. However, due to declining passenger numbers and the impact of fuel prices, the company's scale has been reduced. Currently, the company only has 32 vehicles in operation, focusing on two main routes: from Buon Ma Thuot to Dak Mil and from Buon Ma Thuot to Gia Nghia ( Lam Dong province).
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Be, Director of Dak Lak Automobile Transport Joint Stock Company, said that in order to maintain operations, the company was forced to adjust ticket prices, increasing them by an average of about 20% starting from March 10, 2026. Simultaneously, they will reduce the number of trips to optimize costs.
Specifically, the Buon Ma Thuot - Gia Nghia route, before the disruption, maintained 36 trips per day (both ways), equivalent to about 20 minutes per trip. Currently, the frequency has been extended to 30 minutes per trip, and the number of trips per day has decreased to only about 28-30. The situation is no better for the Buon Ma Thuot - Dak Mil route, with the number of trips per day drastically reduced from 14 to only 8.
In response to the unpredictable fluctuations in the fuel market due to the conflict in the Middle East, the Ministry of Construction has submitted a proposal to the Government to implement urgent measures to stabilize gasoline and transportation costs. The focus is on requesting the Ministry of Finance to consider reducing the special consumption tax and environmental protection tax during an appropriate period. Simultaneously, the Ministry proposes including transportation fuels in the list of items eligible for a VAT reduction from 10% to a lower rate to support businesses.
Alongside the proposal to reduce taxes, the Ministry of Construction is committed to tightening inspections of fare listings, ensuring transparency, and encouraging transport companies to accelerate the transition to clean energy vehicles.
Hoang Tuyet - Ho Nhu
Source: https://baodaklak.vn/kinh-te/202603/nganh-van-tai-tim-cach-thich-ung-d127c19/
Comment (0)