Need to restore order in electric car business in Cua Lo

(Baonghean) -The project of using electric cars to transport passengers has created a new type of service for Cua Lo tourism, contributing to creating jobs and increasing income for local workers. However, during the implementation process, many problems have arisen such as loose management, spontaneous development of electric cars, unhealthy competition, causing disorder and traffic safety...

The project of using electric cars to transport tourists in Cua Lo Town was assigned to Cua Lo Tourism, Travel and Trade Company Limited to pilot from June 2011 (including 110 cars). After being guided by the authorities on the procedures according to regulations, the company's electric cars were granted a license plate, drivers met the requirements for a license plate, uniform... and were only allowed to operate in the prescribed lane.

However, recently, in the area, there have appeared some organizations and businesses participating in transporting tourists by electric cars (Loi Truong Enterprise, Hai Au), especially some people have invested in buying electric cars and counterfeiting license plates to do business in transporting tourists. This phenomenon is becoming more and more serious, but the authorities have not yet intervened.



Electric cars are "attracting" customers at Cua Lo.

Due to the nature of electric cars, which are vehicles that are not allowed to participate in road traffic without permission from competent authorities, organizations and individuals in Cua Lo have "ignored" that. The leader of Cua Lo Town said that currently, there are 265 electric cars in the area, while the pilot project was only approved for 110 cars. Thus, a large number of illegal cars have appeared, leading to difficulties in management. Nghi Thuy Ward is a locality with many households investing in the business of transporting tourists by electric cars and is the most prominent place where the situation of illegal electric cars is.

Mr. Duong Ngoc Xo - Chairman of Nghi Thuy Ward People's Committee said: "Facing the situation of electric cars exceeding the prescribed number, recently, the Ward People's Committee has organized a dialogue and signed a commitment with organizations and individuals trading in electric cars. Business households hope that the authorities will implement the licensing of electric cars fairly, publicly and democratically". In Nghi Tan Ward, there are 14 electric cars participating in the tourist transport business, but only 5 of them are qualified to operate (belonging to Cua Lo Tourism and Trade Transport Company Limited), while 9 private electric cars have not been licensed to circulate but are still participating in the tourist transport business. During the business process, many car owners have arbitrarily renovated this type of car such as installing additional seats, speakers, screens, repainting the car color...

A current problem in Cua Lo is the lack of stops and parking places for electric cars, so the roadsides and sidewalks of some streets have become places for electric cars to pick up and drop off passengers, causing chaos, loss of social order and safety, and loss of urban beauty. The reality in Cua Lo shows that the state's management of the electric car business is not strict. There is a situation of shirking responsibility, a lack of coordination between relevant levels and sectors. Inspection and handling work is not thorough.

Through investigation, it is known that recently, the authorities in Cua Lo have inspected and controlled, discovered 56 cases of violations, handled and paid to the treasury more than 112 million VND, temporarily detained 26 violating vehicles, of which 5 were 3-wheeled electric cars. In particular, some were found to have borrowed business licenses from others... However, that handling is still not strong enough to restore order and discipline in the electric car transportation business in Cua Lo.

To properly manage the tourist transport service by electric car, Cua Lo Town needs to have a suitable development plan and strengthen inspection and timely handling of violations, and synchronously invest in technical infrastructure such as stops, parking lots, and routes for electric cars, etc.

Hoang Vinh - Cong Sang