VietNamNet Bridge – Lax management by the HCM City Transport Department on the operation of container trucks and buses has led to a large number of traffic violation cases and traffic accidents.

This was concluded by the Ministry of Transport which released the results of its inspection drive last week.

It found that, nearly 6 per cent of container truck operators in the city have permits to transport goods by container trucks.

The ministry's Chief Inspector Nguyen Van Huyen told to Giao Thong Van Tai Newspaper (Transport Newspaper), "The city has 1,710 companies and co-operatives operating 8,211 container trucks. However, only 98 companies have business permits for transporting goods by container trucks, with only 1,016 container trucks operating legally."

Moreover, most high-quality buses, including those managed by HCM City-based Mai Linh Express Corp, Western Passenger Transport & Service JSC – Mitaco, Futa Trans Corp, travelled faster than permitted speed limits, he said.

Data from one black box on a passenger car from FuTa Trans Corp showed that the driver exceeded the permitted 80km/h speed limit up to 1,342 times within a week.

Additionally, four out of six inspected companies and co-operatives in the area were found to have installed substandard global positioning systems (GPS) in their vehicles.

It was also found that over 50 per cent of inspected companies and co-operatives didn't sign labor contracts and pay social insurance for their employees.

"Lax management by local transport agencies was one of the main reasons why so many companies broke the traffic regulations," Huyen said.

Therefore, the ministry asked the local transport department to inspect and check every business operating container trucks in the area, and review individuals and organisations relaxing their control over the violations.

Companies and co-operatives which were found to be in violation were also asked to be soon punished.

The results need to be reported back to the ministry before October 31 of this year.

Transport minister Dinh La Thang asked provinces and cities across the country for stricter control over the operation of buses and container trucks to prevent traffic accidents. The call was made last month following public concern over the recent rise in road fatalities.

In the past seven months, more than 17,181 traffic accidents were recorded, with 5,635 fatalities and 17,153 injuries, according to the National Traffic Safety Committee.

Source: VNS