First day of toll exemption at Hoang Mai Station

(Baonghean.vn)-From 0:00 on October 15, along with Bai Chay Toll Station (Quang Ninh), vehicles traveling through Hoang Mai Toll Station (Nghe An) on National Highway 1A will also not have to pay tolls.

According to Official Dispatch 10805 dated October 10, 2013 of the Ministry of Transport on the method of stopping toll collection at Hoang Mai and Bai Chay stations, from 0:00 on October 15, 2013, all means of transport passing through these two stations will not have to pay toll fees.

On the first day of implementation, some drivers still did not know and when passing through Hoang Mai toll station, they still paid to buy tickets as usual or showed their monthly tickets. Toll station staff explained to the drivers and when they got this information, most drivers were satisfied. Previously, when passing through Hoang Mai toll station, vehicles had to stop twice, the first time at the first cabin to buy tickets, the second time at the second cabin to check tickets, but now, each time passing through the station, vehicles only need to stop once to identify the vehicle.

Mr. Hoang Van Diem, a truck driver from Dong Nai, shared: “Previously, when going through the toll station, we had to buy a ticket for 80,000 VND, but today we don’t have to buy a ticket anymore. But I suggest that from now on, the toll stations on National Highway 1A that sell tickets in one place and tear tickets in another should be considered and have a plan to stop immediately.”

As for Mr. Ho Dinh Thanh, a driver in Quynh Xuan commune, Hoang Mai town, who often passes through the station every day, he added: "Each time it costs 22,000 VND. Currently, not collecting fees is very convenient for drivers."

Hoang Mai toll station, the first day of stopping toll collection through the station

Through discussion with Mr. Phan Quoc Ai - Director of An Sinh Joint Stock Company, Head of Hoang Mai Toll Station, immediately after receiving the official dispatch from the Ministry of Transport, the Vietnam Road Administration assigned Road Management Area 4 to monitor the time when vehicles pass through the station without having to pay the toll. Hoang Mai toll station alone hung a banner with the content: "Vehicles passing through the station stop for inspection without having to buy tickets" and arranged staff to work in 5 shifts to tear tickets according to the ticket value of each type of vehicle when passing through the station to determine the revenue of each shift, each day and then summarize the revenue each month.

However, according to Mr. Ai, this new method is not feasible. “I think that the state, represented by the Ministry of Transport, and the business, An Sinh Company, should agree on a suitable compensation level that is not disadvantageous to the business,” said Mr. Ai.

Previously, the Ministry of Transport had negotiated with An Sinh Joint Stock Company on the price to buy back the right to collect fees for the remaining time of the two toll stations Hoang Mai and Bai Chay. Because the two sides could not agree on the price, the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam and An Sinh Joint Stock Company agreed to implement the above plan./.

Article and photos: Le Nhung - Viet Hung