Many BOT stations sell monthly tickets unfairly.

"Toll stations in Ho Chi Minh City flexibly consider issuing a time limit from the date of validity to the end date according to the specific time limit stated on the ticket (the time limit is the following month) and register for issuance according to regulations."

That is one of the contents of the proposal of the HCM City Department of Transport sent to the Vietnam Road Administration and a number of investors regarding the regulations on monthly ticket sales at toll stations.

Many transport businesses still claim to have encountered many difficulties with many BOT stations, even claiming that they were treated "unfairly".

Review monthly ticket validity period

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has just sent a document to the General Department of Roads regarding the recommendations of the Ho Chi Minh City Freight Transport Association that the monthly ticket sales regulations of toll stations in Binh Duong and Dong Nai are inappropriate.

According to the reflection of the Ho Chi Minh City Freight Transport Association and information review, the National Highway 1K toll stations in Binh Duong and Dong Nai do not sell monthly tickets but only single-trip tickets.

Many businesses have complained that the Hanoi Highway toll station (HCMC) sells rigid monthly tickets.

Meanwhile, according to Clause 1, Article 1 of Circular 35/2016 TT-BGTVT dated November 25, 2016, regulating the maximum price of road use services in road construction investment projects managed by the Ministry of Transport, which stipulates:

"The Vietnam Road Administration is responsible for inspecting and supervising the collection of road service fees by collection units and reporting to the Ministry of Transport in accordance with regulations."

Therefore, the HCM City Department of Transport requested the Vietnam Road Administration to require the investor of the above toll station to sell monthly tickets according to regulations.

At the same time, this unit received feedback and reviewed the toll stations of Hanoi Highway (District 9) and Phu My (District 2) that issued monthly tickets valid from the date of purchase until the end of the month. In particular, Nguyen Van Linh toll station (Binh Chanh District) issued monthly tickets valid until the 5th of the following month, causing difficulties for transport businesses.

The Department of Transport also sent a document to the Ho Chi Minh City Infrastructure Investment Company, Phu My Construction Investment Joint Stock Company and Phu My Hung Company Limited, requesting the above toll stations to flexibly consider issuing the validity period from the date of use to the end date according to the specific period stated on the ticket (valid until the date of the following month) and register for issuance according to regulations.

Businesses need to be fair

Many transport businesses in Ho Chi Minh City reported that even though they buy monthly tickets, if they buy them late, the businesses will not be counted for the full 30 days, and the tickets will expire at the end of the month, making business increasingly difficult.

Mr. Lam Dai Vinh, director of Lam Vinh Transport Company Limited, said that although toll stations always say they follow the regulations, calculating monthly tickets as above is too mechanical and rigid, because most transport businesses have not yet determined the contract and do not dare to buy tickets.

According to Mr. Vinh, there are toll stations that previously limited the validity of tickets to the end of the month, but now allow businesses to count the full month from the date of purchase. Why don't other toll stations, like in Ho Chi Minh City, apply this to reduce the suffering of businesses?

Mr. Nguyen Van Chanh, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Freight Transport Association, said that BOT investors need to be fair with customers, both transport companies and road users. Mr. Chanh questioned why the investors are given a fee and a time to recover capital, while road users are not allowed to choose the time to use the ticket?

According to Mr. Chanh, selling monthly tickets for only a few days, or tickets that are only valid until the end of the month and not for the full 30 days, is not fair and beneficial for both parties.

"Customers who buy on the 10th day will only be charged for 20 days, the rest will be used to reduce costs for the inactive days," Mr. Chanh suggested.

According to TTO