Entrance fees to bus stations and train stations in Nghe An: Different places?

"Price chaos" at bus stations and train stations: Each place has a different price

Many recent reports from the people show that the entrance fees at bus stations and train stations in Vinh City (old) have significant differences. Some people only had to pay 10,000-15,000 VND for just a few minutes to pick up and drop off passengers; in some cases, they were charged up to 25,000 VND for coming in to get goods and then returning. These figures immediately created a wave of debate about the reasonableness and transparency of the toll collection activities.

To verify, the reporter went directly toVinh Market Bus Station– belongs to Nghe An Bus Station Joint Stock Company. In the morning, there are many vehicles coming in and out, mainly to send or receive goods. Here, the staff collects money right at the gate but does not issue tickets regularly, only when customers request tickets. Once, when driving a 5-seat car into the station and then out, the reporter was charged 12,000 VND; tickets are only issued upon request. This makes many people doubt the transparency.

People's feedback shows that the fee could be even higher. Mr. Nhat, a resident of Truong Vinh ward, said that he went to pick up a bag of grapefruit sent by his family, only stopped his car for a few minutes to unload the goods but was charged 25,000 VND. When he questioned it, he received a ticket stating "parking service fee". He said:“I only came to pick up the goods and did not use any services, but I was still charged such a fee. While sending the goods, I lost the shipping fee,The carrier has paid the parking fee. Why does the customer have to pay such a high additional fee?

At Bac Vinh Bus Station, also managed by Nghe An Bus Station Joint Stock Company, the fee for 5-seat cars is 12,000 VND/trip. Staff only issue tickets when customers request. The difference is that drivers are given a card when entering and return the card when exiting, but the tickets at both stations have the date - month - year section left blank, making it difficult to check and compare.

Not only the bus station, Vinh Railway Station is also applying a fee of 10,000 VND during the day and 15,000 VND at night for each car to pick up and drop off passengers. Even if the stop is only a few minutes, the driver still has to pay the same fee as the parking fee per turn. Many technology car drivers said that this fee is not suitable for such a short stop time.

Before the temporary shutdown for repairs,Vinh AirportApply a time-based collection mechanism: 4,000 VND for the first 10 minutes, after that, an additional 4,000 VND will be charged... This method is considered more reasonable by people because it encourages vehicles to enter and exit quickly, limits congestion while still ensuring correct and full collection.

The difference between toll collection points raises the question: If they are all short-term pick-up and drop-off services, why does each unit decide its own toll collection level?

Legal gaps and the need to restore order in toll collection

Through our research, we learned that previously, the collection of vehicle parking service fees in Nghe An was applied according to Decision No. 80/2016/QD-UBND dated December 20, 2016 of the Provincial People's Committee. Vehicle parking service prices are specifically regulated for each type of vehicle and organizations, units and individuals involved in the management and business of vehicle parking services basically apply according to Decision No. 80. However, this document does not mention the case of vehicles only entering and exiting the station for a short time, creating a legal gap that causes each place to apply a different method.

On November 12, 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision 57/2024/QD-UBND on state management of prices. According to this regulation, vehicle parking services invested with the budget will be appraised by the Department of Finance; the maximum price for bus station entry and exit services will be appraised by the Department of Transport (currently the Department of Construction).

However, in reality, in Nghe An, there is no parking lot invested by the budget, leading to the Department of Finance not participating in the price assessment. In that context, the parking lot operators continue to apply the collection rates according to the old price decisions, leading to the current lack of consistency.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Long - Head of Price and Public Asset Management Department, Nghe An Department of Finance - said: Although they set their own collection rates, units must still fully comply with the provisions of the law on prices and the law on enterprises. This means that the collection of fees must be public, transparent and ensure the rights of service users.

Regarding the assessment of service prices for entering and exiting the station, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan - Head of the Transport Management Department, Nghe An Department of Construction said that for a long time, the operating units have applied the collection rate according to the old price regulations of the province. The Department is surveying and developing a new price plan, expected to submit to the competent authority for promulgation in the near future to overcome the situation of each place having its own way.

Many opinions say that to avoid "price chaos", the fee for entering and exiting the station should be built based on the actual time the vehicle stops, similar to the model at airports: Initially, free or low fee for vehicles entering and exiting quickly, only applying high fee for long stops. At the same time, the stations need to install a system to count turns and count time, tickets must clearly state the date - time - fee, avoid leaving blank information, making inspection difficult.

At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen inspection and control to strictly handle acts of overcharging, wrongly charging or not issuing tickets. A clear and transparent toll collection process will help people feel secure and create a healthy business environment for parking operators.

The lack of uniformity in collecting fees for entering and exiting bus stations and railway stations in Nghe An is causing many inconveniences for people and creating negative public opinion. The early promulgation of a unified, scientific and transparent price framework will not only solve the immediate problems but also contribute to building a civilized and modern traffic environment. When all collection levels are clear and in accordance with regulations, people's trust will be strengthened, creating a foundation for the sustainable development of public services in the area./.