The worry about illegal taxis and makeshift bus stops.

The T.D.T. sleeper bus hadn't even pulled over completely when it slowed down and opened its doors wide for passengers to jump on board - Photo: TRAN TUYEN

Stopping to pick up and drop off passengers and goods indiscriminately.

On National Highway 1, the section passing through Dong Ha City, every day from dawn until late afternoon, road users have to face a "maze" of passenger buses stopping and parking indiscriminately, scrambling to pick up and drop off passengers and goods.

In just about 10 minutes on the afternoon of May 30th, we observed a 16-seater passenger bus, license plate 75B-007.XX, traveling through Dong Ha City in the South-North direction, suddenly pulling over four times to allow passengers to hastily board and disembark, with bulky luggage being unloaded amidst the bustling traffic. A few minutes later, a sleeper bus, license plate 43H-062.XX, despite traveling on National Highway 1, near the border between Dong Ha City and Ai Tu town, Trieu Phong district, also braked sharply to pick up passengers along the way, disregarding all regulations regarding designated stopping points.

Later that afternoon, at the intersection of Le Duan Street (National Highway 1) and Dien Bien Phu Street, a sleeper bus, license plate 89F-005.XX, calmly stopped to pick up passengers. Nearby, at the intersection of Le Duan Street and Ly Thuong Kiet Street, a similar scene unfolded: another sleeper bus, T.D.T., hadn't even pulled over completely before slowing down and opening its doors in the middle of the road for passengers to jump on. A few minutes later, another sleeper bus, NT, repeated the same behavior, turning this section of road into an impromptu "makeshift bus stop," posing numerous risks and compromising traffic safety.

The images above are just a small glimpse into the overall picture of the illegal bus and taxi services that are taking place daily in Quang Tri province. Through days of observation and firsthand records along National Highway 1, the section passing through the province shows that every day dozens of vehicles, including sleeper buses and 16-seater tourist service vehicles, stop to pick up and drop off passengers and goods from morning to night, with a high concentration during early morning or late afternoon hours.

These vehicles suddenly change lanes or stop as soon as they see passengers; some even pick up and drop off passengers in the mixed lane, causing chaos and endangering other vehicles. This situation occurs not only on national highways but also infiltrates inner-city roads and residential areas, causing public outrage and posing unpredictable dangers.

Unforeseen consequences

Why do illegal taxis and makeshift bus stops still thrive and even dominate the roads? "These vehicles operate without entering official bus terminals. They meet passenger demand, providing door-to-door service, so people frequently use their services. Meanwhile, with registered buses, passengers have to rely on family members or hire transportation to get to the terminal, which is more inconvenient," a resident of Dong Le ward, Dong Ha city, shared about why they occasionally choose illegal taxis for urgent trips.

Clearly, the convenience of door-to-door pick-up and drop-off, saving time and travel costs, has become an attractive lure for many passengers. However, behind this convenience lie countless risks and unforeseen consequences that few anticipate. The sudden stopping and lane changes by unlicensed taxis to pick up passengers not only obstruct other vehicles but also create dangerous traffic situations, easily leading to collisions and serious accidents. Numerous accidents have occurred as a result of these vehicles' reckless stopping and parking.

Furthermore, illegal taxis and makeshift bus stops disrupt urban order. Main roads and central intersections become "gathering points" for picking up and dropping off passengers, causing congestion, chaos, and negatively impacting urban aesthetics and overall traffic flow. Significantly, the operation of illegal taxis and makeshift bus stops also leads to losses in state revenue and creates an unhealthy and unfair competitive environment for legitimate transportation businesses that strictly adhere to legal regulations. More seriously, the lack of control over passenger lists and transported goods poses potential risks to public security and order.

Working together for safe and civilized traffic.

Faced with this pressing issue, authorities have been intensifying inspection and enforcement efforts. Lieutenant Colonel Le Van Hoa, Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department of Quang Tri Provincial Police, said: "Through inspections and reviews, we have found 34 vehicles operating regularly on routes in the province without entering bus terminals. These are overloaded vehicles, or 'illegal' passenger transport vehicles."

Lieutenant Colonel Hoa also added: "Recently, the Traffic Police Department has regularly intensified patrols, inspections, and strictly handled violations. If violations are detected, we will handle them strictly, forcing vehicles to operate on the correct routes and at designated stops as prescribed by law."

Clearly, the activities of illegal taxis and unauthorized bus stops violate current regulations on road traffic and transportation business. To definitively resolve this situation, a coordinated and decisive effort from multiple parties is needed. First and foremost, law enforcement agencies must strengthen coordination and deploy more patrol and control forces. Applying technology such as surveillance cameras at key locations will help record violations objectively and accurately, providing a basis for issuing fines remotely and enhancing deterrence.

Simultaneously, it is necessary to strengthen propaganda efforts, raise community awareness, and encourage people to use passenger transport services at bus stations. Along with that, the people themselves need to work together; each passenger needs to raise their own awareness and refuse to use illegal transport services for their own safety and the safety of the community.

The problem of illegal taxis and unauthorized bus stops is not just a concern for the transportation sector, but a shared worry for the entire society, directly affecting safety, order, and urban aesthetics. Completely resolving this issue requires not only decisive action from relevant authorities but also the cooperation, support, and sense of responsibility of every citizen. Only then will journeys on the province's main roads truly be safe and civilized.

Tran Tuyen

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/noi-lo-xe-du-ben-coc-194227.htm