VietNamNet Bridge – The Ha Noi Department of Transport has uncovered 20 taxi companies operating without licences and suspended 47 taxis from operation following three weeks of inspections.

Reports from the department showed that inspectors had evaluated around 100 taxi companies and more than 17,000 cabs since April 10.

Among the 47 suspended taxis, six belonged to well known companies such as Huong Lua Trading Co, Ltd, Van Xuan JSC, Indochina Petroleum Transportation JSC (Petroleum Taxi) and Star International Trade and Tourism Development JSC (Vic).

Traffic inspectors also found 17 taxi companies operating without licences, 36 companies without price lists, and two using excessive radio telegraphy equipment.

Taxis labelled Mai Linh, Mekong and Van Xuan were found to be using different colours and inadequate price lists. Other violations, such as not holding training courses for drivers and requiring them to wear uniforms, remained common.

Le Tuan Anh, deputy chief Inspector of the department said that this was a comprehensive inspection of taxi companies to re-organise the operation of city cabs and curb traffic chaos caused by taxis.

Violations would be strictly punished and relevant authorities would adjust policies if necessary, he said.

Currently, Ha Noi is home to 113 taxi companies with more than 15,000 cabs.

Last week, Viet Nam Register worked with the department's inspectors to implement mobile inspections of passenger coaches and buses in Ha Noi.

Nguyen Huu Tri of the Viet Nam Register said the two mobile inspection stations, the first of their kind in Viet Nam, were capable of checking all technical, safety and environmental requirements.

Among 74 inspected vehicles, 22 failed to pass environmental protection criteria and 19 failed brake tests.

The stations, which were imported from Germany, would be used to check cars at key traffic routes such as Ha Noi-Vinh, HCM City-Vung Tau and HCM City-Can Tho in the future.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News