Why does Cua Lo town have to tighten management of 4-wheel electric vehicles?

Number of vehicles beyond control

Since 2011, to meet the demand for tourist transportation, on May 4, 2011, the Prime Minister signed Document No. 703/TTg-KTN on permission.Cua Lo townPilot project of investing in electric cars to serve tourists. The number of cars allowed to pilot is 110 cars, in a period of 3 years, from June 6, 2011 to June 6, 2014. The unit implementing the pilot project is Cua Lo Tourism, Travel and Trade Transport Company Limited. By May 12, 2015, the pilot period had expired, and the People's Committee of Cua Lo Town had to request an adjustment of the pilot period until December 31, 2015.

Electric cars are suitable for serving tourists, but the explosion in the number of cars in recent times has greatly affected traffic safety and order in Cua Lo town. Photo: Tien Dong

On March 4, 2016, in Document No. 161/UBND-DT sent to Nghe An Provincial People's Committee regarding the proposal for management of 4-wheel electric vehicle operations, Cua Lo Town also stated the current status of 4-wheel electric vehicle operations. During the 4 years of implementing the pilot project, it has contributed to serving the town's tourism well. However, the number of electric vehicles generated far exceeded the approved project (the project approved 110 vehicles but the statistics as of January 1, 2015 were 447 vehicles).

Many businesses and individuals are involved in this field, mainly electric vehicles bought and sold without papers. The number of vehicles participating in the activity is too large, causing traffic obstruction for people and tourists. Business activities are chaotic, causing difficulties in management and handling of violations... which threatens to affect traffic safety, urban civilization, and the tourism brand of Cua Lo in particular and Nghe An in general.

After the People's Committee of Cua Lo Town proposed in Document No. 161, the People's Committee of Nghe An Province also issued Document No. 1832/UBND-GT dated March 29, 2016, allowing Cua Lo Town to temporarily manage 447 electric cars in 2016. However, over the years, the number of electric cars has increased, up to now at 558 cars. This has greatly affected traffic management, causing congestion and affecting traffic safety and public order when there have been disputes and competition for customers between electric car owners.

Captain Nguyen Manh Thang - Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Team, Cua Lo Town Police said: The explosion of 4-wheel electric vehicles has greatly affected the order and traffic safety situation in the area. In the 2022 tourist season, the unit has fined a total of 115 million VND to electric vehicle owners. Of which, there were 186 cases of stopping and parking in violation of regulations; 2 cases of driving electric vehicles while consuming alcohol or beer; 3 cases of arbitrarily raising prices; 21 cases of not using uniforms or nameplates; 6 cases of wrong schedules...

Captain Nguyen Manh Thang also said: The excess number of electric vehicles has led to the situation of soliciting, competing for customers, arbitrarily raising fares, carrying more people than the prescribed number, affecting the security and order situation. Not to mention the fact that many electric vehicle owners collude with seafood shops and restaurants to bring customers to "receive" commissions. Affecting the image of Cua Lo tourism.

Need to tighten management

Mr. Hoang Minh Tho - Deputy Head of the Urban Management Department of Cua Lo Town said: After the pilot period, the number of electric vehicles has increased dramatically, affecting the management and operation of traffic in the area. In particular, many electric vehicles are old and degraded, not ensuring safety. Not to mention, out of 558 vehicles, 131 people have 2 vehicles. There is even a situation of trading "disguised" vehicles worth hundreds of millions of VND between the old owners who registered from the beginning (now abroad or no longer trading electric vehicles), with new owners. While each year, vehicle owners only pay about 3 million VND/vehicle/year in tax.

Faced with the above situation, on December 26, 2022, the People's CommitteeCua Lo Townhas issued a management and business plan for 4-wheel electric vehicles in the area. In which, with the existing traffic infrastructure, the town only allows a maximum of 300 electric vehicles (reduced from 558 vehicles to 300 vehicles).

According to a survey by the People's Committee of Cua Lo Town, out of 558 vehicles, only 171 are eligible for registration and inspection. To limit the number to 300 vehicles, those that are not eligible for registration and inspection will be drawn and allowed to buy a new vehicle for registration and inspection (if the vehicle owner has a need); households that previously had 2 vehicles will only be drawn once...

In the 2022 tourist season alone, Cua Lo Town Police have fined electric vehicle owners a total of VND115 million. Photo: D.C.

By December 30, 2022, the People's Committee of Cua Lo Town issued Decision No. 3618/QD-UBND, promulgating the Regulations on the management of 4-wheel electric vehicles operating in business and transporting tourists in Cua Lo Town in 2023, along with implementing regulations. In addition, Cua Lo Town has also issued a document guiding the roadmap for implementing the management of electric vehicles. At the same time, registration and inspection are limited to April 20, 2023. After the above deadline, vehicles that do not meet the requirements will not be allowed to operate.

Mr. Tho also emphasized that the mandatory condition in the town's electric vehicle management plan in 2023 is to limit the number of vehicles to 300 and the vehicles must meet the inspection standards confirmed by the inspection agency according to the provisions of law. However, currently, there are some households who do not agree with the above plan, so they have filed a petition, even going to the headquarters of the People's Committee of Cua Lo Town.

People's opinions mainly revolve around the issue of registration and inspection of vehicles without papers, lost papers, and vehicles that fail inspection; people do not agree with the practice of pooling vehicles to reduce the number (2 families buying 1 vehicle together)...

Mr. Hoang Minh Tho also said that the town leaders have responded to the people's petitions in writing and through citizen meetings. The town has also randomly selected 7 of the best cars among the existing ones to send for inspection, but none of them passed.

Previously, in Document No. 1160/SGTVT-VT dated April 23, 2020, responding to the People's Committee of Cua Lo Town regarding strengthening the management of 4-wheel electric vehicle operations, Nghe An Department of Transport also affirmed that vehicles put into operation must fully meet the conditions on technical safety, environmental protection and be registered according to the provisions of Circular 15/2014/TT-BCA of the Ministry of Public Security and must be inspected according to the provisions of Circular 86/2014/TT-BGTVT of the Ministry of Transport.

"Obviously, it is indisputable that electric vehicles that do not meet the operating conditions and do not pass the inspection procedures will not be allowed to operate. Because it will greatly affect the safety of tourists. Otherwise, if a traffic accident occurs, who will be responsible?" - Mr. Tho emphasized.