Proposing Uber, Grab to place servers in Vietnam

The Hanoi Taxi Association also requested the Ministry of Transport to tighten the operations of Uber and Grab. Accordingly, to manage well and ensure network security and information safety, Uber and Grab must place their servers in Vietnam.

In an official dispatch responding to the Hanoi Taxi Association regarding the operations of Uber and Grab, the Ministry of Transport maintained its stance of not stopping the operations of Uber and Grab, but said it agreed with some management measures and requested the Government to allow localities to not increase the number of vehicles.

One of the important contents mentioned is that the Ministry of Transport agrees with the proposal to stick logos (including the name and number of the transport business unit) on the outside of Uber and Grab vehicles.

Regarding this issue, speaking with Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Do Quoc Binh - Chairman of Hanoi Taxi Association said that he will send a document to the Ministry of Transport, protesting against the decision to not stop the operations of Uber and Grab.

The Hanoi Taxi Association has proposed that the Ministry of Transport tighten the operations of Uber and Grab. Accordingly, to manage well and ensure network security and information safety, Uber and Grab must place their servers in Vietnam.

Mr. Binh stated that it is necessary to urgently stop the Uber and Grab pilot plan to conduct a review and evaluation of the actual implementation of the technology taxi pilot plan.

Mr. Binh said that he has seen the consequences of "technology taxis" operating in Vietnam, such as tax consequences, because after 3 years of operation, both Uber and Grab have reported accumulated losses. The Chairman of the Hanoi Taxi Association asked the question, if their program is good, why are they losing so much?

In addition, Mr. Binh shared that in the pilot program, Vietnamese authorities did not control the number of pilot vehicles, so the number of pilot vehicles increased every day, from 50,000 vehicles to about 55,000 vehicles in operation, which was also one of the consequences.

“From the above consequences, the Uber and Grab pilot program needs to be stopped immediately, but the Ministry of Transport ignores expert opinions and maintains its stance of not stopping this type of taxi. The important issue in the pilot program is to strictly manage the number of vehicles. The Ministry of Transport has let things run wild, causing the number of pilot vehicles to spread,” said Mr. Binh.

The Hanoi Taxi Association also requested the Ministry of Transport to tighten the operations of Uber and Grab. Accordingly, to manage well and ensure network security and information safety, Uber and Grab must place their servers in Vietnam.

“The association will send documents related to two issues, firstly clarifying the Uber and Grab pilot program, the nature of this type of activity, secondly, "technology taxi" servers must be located in Vietnam to ensure information security.

Our country has signed the WTO trade agreement, and the cross-border operation form does not have any provisions on transport connection services. The Ministry of Transport should listen to the opinions of experts to better regulate the operations of Grab and Uber," said Mr. Binh.

According to Labor Newspaper