Accordingly, the fare may rise from VND5,000 to VND6,000 on buses travelling 15 kilometers to less than 25 kilometers and from VND6,000 to VND7,000 on routes of more than 25 kilometers.

Meanwhile, the fare on routes of less than 15 kilometers will be kept unchanged at VND5,000.

Suggested student fares were VND3,000, instead of the current VND2,000.

Tran Chi Trung, director of the HCMC Public Passenger Transport Management and Operation Center, said the prices of bus tickets in HCMC are now lower than those in Hanoi. Before making the proposal, the center had conducted a survey of some 2,000 bus commuters, and more than 80% of them agreed with the proposal.

If the proposal is approved, the revenue from bus fares is expected to increase by an additional VND92.5 billion (nearly US$4 million) per year, helping cooperatives and enterprises buy new vehicles and upgrade bus stops and parking lots, Trung added.

Many passengers also proposed setting a unique fare for all bus routes because the current three separate fares have caused misunderstandings.

SGT