Buses: Need more reasonable development

(Baonghean) - With nearly 300 vehicles operating every day (about 1,254 trips), 18 bus routes in Nghe An have effectively promoted public passenger transport from Vinh City to other localities and vice versa; that is, contributing to limiting personal vehicles on the roads and facilitating people's exchanges to develop the economy and society.

Le Duan Street has the highest bus density in Vinh City. Photo: Nguyen Son

Promote positive effects

According to statistics from the Transport Management Department of Nghe An Department of Transport, from 1 enterprise opening the first bus route with 20 buses in 2008, up to now, in the province, there are 10 enterprises investing in 18 stable routes with nearly 300 vehicles. Every day, there are over 1,254 vehicles mobilized to serve people traveling on the roads. Frequency is from 15 to 35 minutes for 1 bus (depending on the route).

Currently, all bus routes operating in the province are self-financing, without any need for price compensation or support from the budget, and more and more businesses are "interested" in investing in bus services. Recently, at the end of April 2017, Khanh Quynh private enterprise launched bus route No. 31 from Vinh to Con Cuong and vice versa, serving the travel needs of the people.

In particular, this new route, operated on the new route N5, has opened up many opportunities for people on both sides of the route. Mr. Le Van Khanh - Director of Khanh Quynh Company Limited shared: "After 3 weeks of operation on the new route, it has been very convenient, the number of passengers on this route is increasing, which encourages us to feel more secure when investing in the field of public passenger transport services and improving service quality".

Buses operate on the new route N5. Photo: Nguyen Son

Mr. Nguyen Van Son, lives in Ben Thuy ward, Vinh city but works at a bank branch in Cau Giat town, Quynh Luu district. Every day, early in the morning, he takes the first bus from Vinh city to Cau Giat to work and in the afternoon he takes the bus in the opposite direction to go home.

For the past 3 years, the bus has been an active “companion” of Mr. Son. That helps him and thousands of other people avoid having to ride their motorbikes on long and dangerous roads when traffic accidents are always lurking. Mr. Son shared: “Before there was no bus, I had to stay in Cau Giat for a few days to go home and often traveled by motorbike, but since the bus has been operating stably, I bought a monthly ticket and traveled conveniently…”.

Requirements for harmonious development

Through a survey of the bus routes in operation, it is found that there are still many shortcomings and problems that need to be addressed; such as: some routes and vehicles are degraded, especially the route from Vinh city to Hoang Mai town and vice versa; Vinh city to Quy Hop and vice versa; Vinh city to Yen Thanh and vice versa... Along with that, the situation of bus drivers speeding and recklessly overtaking makes passengers scared many times, in fact, there are many serious bus accidents.

Passengers waiting for the bus. Photo: Nguyen Son

Considering the routes of 18 existing bus routes, all departing from Vinh city to the districts, there are some routes that almost all bus routes run through, while many other main routes have not been included in the connecting routes, leading to places where the density is too high, and places where there are no buses operating.

Typically, the routes: Nguyen Du, Le Duan, Phong Dinh Cang, Mai Hac De, Nguyen Trai have up to 16/18 bus routes running through, so there are times when bus companies run "into each other" on the route. Meanwhile, many other main routes do not have any bus routes running through.

In particular, there are many "disconnected" routes, lacking connections, such as: a section of Ho Tung Mau Street from the intersection of Nguyen Van Cu Street to Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, or like on Le Nin Avenue, from the old Hai Quan roundabout to the intersection with Nguyen Sy Sach Street, there are no buses passing through, while on this route there are many units, agencies and residential areas...

Discussing the above issue, Mr. Nguyen Que Su - Deputy Director of the Department of Transport said: Developing buses is inevitable. After many years of calling for the transport sector, many businesses have invested in intra-provincial buses, creating convenience for people to travel from localities to Vinh city and vice versa.

However, connecting inner-city routes in Vinh city is a difficult problem, because many of the city's routes are small and not long... At the same time, the city's infrastructure and planning are being adjusted, affecting the arrangement of bus routes.

Ticket inspector on the bus, Vinh City - Con Cuong route. Photo: Nguyen Son

Therefore, the Provincial People's Committee has assigned Vinh City to take charge of a project to develop inner-city buses, using loans from the World Bank and hiring foreign consultants and designers. If the plans are approved, in the future there will be more bus routes connecting inner-city routes to inner-provincial routes, creating a close connection in passenger transport, contributing to limiting personal vehicles and reducing traffic congestion.

On the part of state management agencies, there will be openness, transparency, and equality in information and planning, and will contribute to orienting businesses to invest in and exploit bus routes effectively.

» More information about the Thach Thanh bus accident

Nguyen Son