VietNamNet Bridge – Coach operators are facing bankruptcy after Ha Noi’s Transport Department moved their departure point from My Dinh Bus Station to Nuoc Ngam Bus Station on January 01.

Coach operators are facing bankruptcy after Ha Noi’s Transport Department moved their departure point from My Dinh Bus Station to Nuoc Ngam Bus Station on January 01.— Photo chinhphu.vn

The transport department ordered coaches linking Ha Noi with the provinces of Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An to move their departure point from My Dinh to Nuoc Ngam Bus Station, nearly 15 kilometres away. The decision aimed to reduce traffic jams on Belt Road No 3.

Speaking yesterday at a dialogue with representatives from the Ministry of Transport, the Ha Noi administration and the city Transport Department, Nguyen Xuan La, a representative from a coach operator of Thai Binh Province said, “It’s very hard for us now; we have had very few passengers the last two months.”

La’s firm borrowed money to operate and had to pay interest every month, he said.

“If the situation continues, we might go bankrupt,” he said.

La said the city should prepare a road map before moving coach operators from My Dinh Bus Station to Nuoc Ngam Bus Station.

In the meantime, Nguyen Van Thach, head of Nam Dinh Province’s Transport Association said the decision was unsuitable.

Thach gave an example about a local bus operator who reportedly suffered losses of VND600 million (US$26,300) due to a shortage of passengers in the last two months.

“Bankruptcy is very near,” he said.

Nguyen Duc Binh, director of a coach operator from Nghe An Province said he was forced to stop two coaches running from Nghe An to Ha Noi after being ordered to move to Nuoc Ngam Bus Station. He lost about VND100 million ($4,300) due to a lack of passengers.

“We are in a very difficult situation,” he said.

Binh suggested agencies re-consider the decision to help coach operators.

Representatives from coach operators blamed poor connections between Nuoc Ngam Bus Station and the city’s downtown and other bus stations for the lack of passengers.

In response to complaints from the coach operators, director of the Ha Noi’s Transport Department Vu Van Vien said traffic jams often occurred on Belt Road No 3, so the city administration decided to move some coach routes to curb traffic jams.

“It is the benefit for everyone, not for any private company,” he said.

The occurrence of traffic jams had sharply reduced, he said.

Vien also said the department knew about difficulties that coach operators suffered recently and the department was working with other agencies to fix the situation.

Ha Huy Quang, deputy head of the transport department said the department would strengthen dissemination campaigns so people would know about the new departure point.

The department also plans to add more bus routes connecting Nuoc Ngam Bus Station to downtown and other stations to ensure people convenient travel, he said.

Coach operators protest

Previously, on Tuesday morning, nearly 100 coaches without passengers travelling on the routes of Ha Noi – Thai Binh and Ha Noi – Nam Dinh drove to Ha Noi in protest.

The coaches were among the coaches forced to move their departure point from My Dinh Bus Station to Nuoc Ngam Bus Station.

It was thought to be an attempt to urge pressure agencies to re-consider the decision.

Traffic police had to stop the coaches at the Phap Van – Cau Gie Expressway tollbooth because they worried the coaches would make traffic chaos if they got to downtown Ha Noi.

Vien said coach operators had the right to complain, however, they should follow regulations.

The coach operators should not act like that, he said.

Coach operators and the Viet Nam Automobile Transport Association had complained to the city administration and the transport department about the issue. All the complaints received feedback, he said.

Even Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc himself had ordered the Ministry of Transport to co-operate with the Ha Noi administration and transport department to hold a dialogue with coach operators and report to Phuc before March 10, Vien said.

VNS