VietNamNet Bridge – The Ha Noi Transport Department wants the municipal People's Committee to set up 190 taxi ranks at shopping centres, hotels, and hospitals throughout the city.

A taxi driver is fined for picking up passengers at the wrong place in Hoang Mai District's Kim Dong Street. The city plans to set up 190 taxi ranks at shopping centres, hotels and hospitals to end the scramble for taxis and passengers.

It has also suggested that the taxis involved should be under the direction of controllers, as at leading airports.

A spokesman for the transport department said that the ranks would overcome the lack of space for taxis to park at many busy venues – and prevent traffic jams in busy times.

At present, taxi drivers often had to park near crowded residential areas or busy streets, he said.

Traffic police statistics show that the main offence committed by taxi drivers is parking their vehicles wrongly.

Nguyen Quoc Hung, director of the transport department, predicted that when taxi parking areas were set up, the scramble for taxis or passengers would end.

Under the proposal, those seeking a taxi will only have to walk a few minutes to a rank, where they will be directed by taxi controllers.

It is planned to build taxi ranks in six downtown districts during the next two years.

Municipal People's Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Van Khoi has assigned the transport department to pilot the new scheme at several shopping centres.

In the next two years, the transport department also proposes to build 66 taxi ranks without controllers in 10 districts to provide space for 700 taxis.

The city now has 17,400 taxis. The current space for taxi parking only meets 5-10 per cent of the demand.

Source: VNS