Nghe An Bus: Final article - Need for a synchronous management mechanism

Currently, there are 6 bus routes operating in the area, operated by 2 enterprises outside the province. However, after 2 years of operating with a "self-swimming" mechanism, many limitations have been revealed, requiring a synchronous management solution...

Nghe An Bus: Part 1 - Real and fake mixed together

Buses have been present in our province for nearly 15 years, but have only really become active since mid-2009, when Viet Vinh Company (Quang Ninh) and then transferred to Ngoc Anh Trading and Service Joint Stock Company to invest in exploiting routes 1 and 2 Vinh-Cua Lo-Cua Hoi-Vinh, and Dong Bac Trading and Service Company invested in 4 routes including Vinh-Hoang Mai inner city, Vinh-Yen Thanh, Vinh-Thanh Chuong-Do Luong and Vinh-Ha Tinh City.

It can be said that after more than 2 years of rectifying operations and reinvesting in buses, the bus route system in the area has basically been completed and is operating in an orderly manner. People in Vinh City and surrounding areas have gradually become familiar with this type of public passenger transport service, thereby contributing to reducing the use of personal vehicles and limiting traffic accidents.

However, due to the scattered population in the area, the lack of residential clusters, industrial clusters, concentrated schools and the lack of habit of using public transport services, it has caused many difficulties for investors to maintain bus operations over the past time. The current bus routes mostly do not earn enough to cover expenses, not to mention vehicle depreciation and reinvestment to upgrade service quality.

Typically, the Vinh-Cua Lo route has only 5 months of summer with passengers each year, the remaining months have very few passengers, and the buses even run empty. Mr. Nguyen Van Anh, Director of Ngoc Anh Trading and Tourism Joint Stock Company, said: "Our operations on both routes 1 and 2 are at a standstill. In addition to the difficulty due to the small number of passengers using the services on the two routes, the fact that businesses have to rent parking lots at both ends of the route, the self-invested sign system is often stolen and must be constantly replaced, causing great difficulties for businesses."

The situation of the remaining 4 bus routes of Dong Bac Trading and Service Company is brighter. However, routes 5 and 6 are also very difficult, the vehicle utilization efficiency is only about 50%. The biggest difficulty of the routes operated by Dong Bac Company is the unsafe situation on some routes, especially on route 3 (Vinh - Do Luong) and route 6 (Vinh - Ha Tinh).

The situation of buses running on fixed routes squeezing, impersonating buses to pick up passengers, and even assaulting bus drivers causes insecurity and insecurity for people using buses. Although the company has repeatedly made recommendations to the Department of Transport and worked with localities along the route and the traffic police to coordinate management, the situation has not improved.

In order for buses to truly be a civilized public passenger transport activity that serves society, it is necessary to review and re-evaluate their effectiveness, implement incentive mechanisms closely linked to standards and criteria for businesses, have a good management coordination mechanism, and strictly handle violations... Only then can Nghe An buses hope to overcome the difficulties after nearly 15 years of operation.

Huu Nghia - Thanh Duy