Three years ago, Pham Nguyen Anh, a resident of Viet Hung ward, purchased a Ford Ranger XLS pickup truck to transport fresh flowers and decorative items for conferences and weddings across Hanoi’s inner districts. The vehicle also served his family’s daily travel needs.

However, under Decision 01/2026 issued by the Hanoi People’s Committee, trucks - including pickup trucks like his - are only allowed to operate داخل the inner city between 9pm and 6am. As a result, Nguyen Anh has been forced to look for alternative means of transport.

“I considered using a passenger car, but some bulky decorative items simply cannot fit. Hiring a truck is not an option either because of the time restrictions. Using motorbikes would push service costs higher,” he said.

He added that with fuel prices already rising, splitting deliveries into multiple trips would inevitably increase expenses. Three-wheeled vehicles are also not an option, as they have already been banned from circulation in Hanoi.

“For now, I will stop using the pickup truck in the inner city. In the long term, I still have to find a suitable alternative,” he said.

A similar situation is facing Nguyen Trung Thuc, who lives in Thach That and regularly uses a pickup truck to transport machinery and install wooden furniture in the inner city. After learning that his vehicle falls under the truck category with restricted hours, he expressed concern about maintaining his work schedule.

“To keep my work running smoothly, I may have to switch to motorbikes while continuing to look for a replacement for my pickup truck,” Thuc said.

He also hopes authorities will consider shortening the restricted hours or limiting the ban to narrower streets to better accommodate drivers like him.

Decision 01/2026 took effect on January 15, regulating road transport activities across Hanoi, with trucks listed among the affected vehicle categories.

According to Circular 53/2024 issued by the Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Construction), pickup trucks may be classified either as passenger pick-ups or cargo pick-ups, with the classification specified in each vehicle’s registration.

In practice, most pickup models currently on the market are categorized as double-cabin cargo pick-up trucks, placing them under the standard truck classification and subject to the same restrictions.

 
Dinh Hieu