VietNamNet Bridge – Traffic police in the capital have begun a serious crackdown on coaches that are operating illegally around major stations to cheat passengers, ahead of the Tet festival which falls on February 10.

A coach illegally waits for more passengers outside of the Nuoc Ngam Bus Station in Ha Noi. The city's traffic police have begun a crackdown on coaches that are operating illegally around its major stations.

The operation was launched on Monday at the behest of Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai, who has called for Ha Noi to put a halt to unlicensed coaches chasing passengers, which can cause traffic jams and see the drivers charge over-the-odds for a seat. Many people choose to travel during Tet, and unscrupulous coach drivers have been known to take advantage by adding extra-seats to pick them up illegally.

"It's easy to see coaches which leave the station and after a few hundred metres begin to run very slowly to pick up passengers. They travel around 10-20 km per hour to catch people," said Ngo Van Tam, the captain of one of the city's traffic police teams.

One of the drivers reprimanded for violating regulations about ticket sales said that he knew his actions were illegal, but he often found himself in situations where no passengers embark on his vehicle at the station. When he later saw them on the side of the road he stopped for them in order to make some money.

He said he hoped the inspection forces would understand and let him go.

The coach violations have been particularly prevalent at My Dinh station and those to the south of the city. In these locations, many passengers stand outside the station to catch the coach rather than buying a ticket from the office.

The Police force there have confirmed that many people cautioned have repeated their actions many times, even immediately in front of local police officers.

Typically the weeks in the build up to Tet are when most people, particularly students and workers, return to their family homes in other provinces.

Source: VNS