Hanoi plans to introduce buses that run on compressed natural gas (CNG) on a trial basis on three routes from early July, the city’s Department of Transport has said.

A bus running on compressed natural gas (CNG) in HCM City. 

The proposed routes are My Dinh bus station-Son Tay bus station, Yen Nghia bus station-Dang Xa urban area and National Hospital of Tropical Diseases-Times City urban area. The three routes are under the management of Bao Yen Tourism, Construction and Services Co Ltd.

Buses in the first route will pick up and drop off passengers 122 times per day, while buses in the second and third routes will do so 126 times and 138 times per day, respectively. According to the department, buses will make a stop every 15-20 minutes.

Earlier, HCM City had tested 21 CNG-based buses in 2011. After one year, the buses had saved VNĐ2 billion (US$87,900) worth of fuel cost compared to old buses running on DO diesel. — VNS