At the 5th conference of the HCMC Party Executive Committee on April 1, the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee agreed on the policy of free bus travel.

This is seen as the most decisive move to date to implement the direction of the Party General Secretary To Lam in resolve traffic congestion and pollution in the country’s largest city.

Currently, the city spends about VND1,700 billion per year to provide free tickets for priority groups (the elderly, children, and people with disabilities). When expanding free fares to all citizens, the projected budget will increase by 3.5 times.

However, this figure is considered a "worthy investment." HCMC currently has a network of 1,780 buses, including 600 modern electric buses. 

According to the roadmap, the city will use financial mechanisms to accelerate the ratio of electric buses, heading toward a green transport ecosystem.

Secretary of the HCMC City Party Committee Tran Luu Quang said that the policy will help reduce traffic pressure and improve the environment. It also has social welfare significance, helping low-income earners reduce travel costs while limiting high-emission old motorcycles.

The head of the HCMC Party Committee believes that for people to give up motorcycles, buses must be attractive, convenient, and punctual enough. 

Therefore, in addition to free fares, the city will improve service quality and expand the route network. The Department of Construction has been tasked with re-planning the system toward efficiency and enhancing the passenger experience.

Alongside the transport breakthrough, the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee agreed on the policy of free border gate infrastructure use to share the pressure of fuel costs, supporting businesses in a stronger recovery of production and trade.

Regarding social welfare, the HCMC City Party Committee Secretary directed the health sector to complete a plan within the next two weeks to organize periodic health screenings and check-ups for nearly 15 million citizens in 2026. This is a step toward realizing the spirit of Resolution 72, placing community health at the center of development.

Additionally, the urban appearance will be improved through accelerating the renovation of long-standing degraded residential areas such as Ma Lang or the Cho Ga - Cho Gao area, combined with developing flexible social housing models for workers.

To create a solid foundation for these changes, HCMC is urgently reviewing Resolution 31 and proposing the construction of the Special Urban Law, expecting to create a breakthrough legal corridor to unlock potential for the city’s next development phase.

The free bus plan has been warmly welcomed. People believe this is a "worthy investment" in exchange for bigger benefits. It is hoped to be applied soon. 

This is a "one arrow hits many targets" solution: it will be the fastest possible way to reduce fuel consumption pressure while reducing traffic congestion and air pollution in the city. It can give direct support to low-income earners and factory workers, while reducing the demand for oil and gasoline.

In fact, many people have begun switching to buses and public transport after fuel prices began to climb due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. 

On March 24, a representative of HCMC Urban Railway Company No1 (HURC1) stated that the number of passengers on the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line has increased sharply over the past month.

In the first week of March (from February 28 to March 6), the new metro line welcomed about 417,151 passengers. Just one week later (March 7–March 13), this number increased to 467,732, corresponding to a 12.1 percent increase.

The upward trend continued in subsequent stages. Specifically, from March 10 to March 16, the number of passengers reached 465,311.

In the week from March 17 to March 23, metro passengers reached 486,254, an increase of 4.5 percent over the previous week.

“On average each day, this metro line serves nearly 70,000 passengers, showing that city residents are gradually changing their travel habits, prioritizing modern, punctual, and cool transportation,” the company representative said.

As for buses, reports showed that the system of public transport has served 340,000 passengers a day since early March, up 35 percent over the end of February (249,000), and 12 percent over the same period in 2025.

Thanh Hue