Several cities adjust bus operations due to COVID-19
Ho Chi Minh City: Limit the number of people on the bus
As one of the largest economic centers in Vietnam and the home of millions citizens, Ho Chi Minh City is one of the big metropolis that have set the highest alert level in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, in order to minimize the risk of disease outset, from May 22, the authority of the city requires all buses operators as tourism and contract buses, shuttle buses or fixed-route coaches to ensure the maximum passenger transport does not exceed 50% of the capacity. This regulation won’t be applied to sleeper coaches and improved-seat bus that have ensured the minimum distance as prescribed.
Vehicles are also required not to transport more than 20 people (including drivers, assistants and service staff on the vehicle).
According to the document of the city’s Department of Transport, all passengers will be forced to sit alternately, apart from the rows of seats, wear masks and be required to make medical declarations in accordance with regulations. The passenger transport businesses have the right to refuse to provide the service if the passenger does not comply with the regulations.

(Source: Vietnamnet.vn)
At the same time, transportation businesses must also disinfect vehicles after each trip. For passenger transportation activities such as taxis, contract cars, under 9-seat vehicles connected with technology applications, they can maintain their operations, but must strictly follow the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and the direction of the Ministry of Transport.
In addition, air conditioning in vehicles are also not allowed to use. Instead, windows are opened during the process of serving passengers. Also according to the city’s Department of Transport, passenger transport businesses operating in the area need to strictly comply with the criteria for assessing the safety level of COVID-19 disease prevention until the latest instructions are available. These criteria include: hand sanitizer, frequency of vehicle disinfection, number of people in the vehicle… and are scored on a 100-point scale.
Businesses scoring 80 points or more and with no criteria below 0 point are allowed to operate normally, from 60-80 points, businesses can be allowed to operate and commit to improve the unsatisfactory criteria. Which scored below 60 points will be asked to stop working.
Bac Ninh: Temporarily suspending passenger transportation for buses, coaches and taxis
Also a locality that implements social distancing after recording hundreds positive cases of COVID-19 recently, Bac Ninh has also strengthened measures to check and control the movement of people to minimize the risk of disease transmission.
Bac Ninh Department of Transport has just sent a document to passenger transport business units and bus stations located in the province on the organization of passenger transport activities to prevent the SARS-COV2 epidemic.
In order to prevent the risk of spreading the COVID-19 epidemic through passenger transport, the Bac Ninh Department of Transport required from 0:00 on May 20 until the latest notice: suspend all transportation activities. Passenger transportation for intra-provincial, fixed-route buses, contract vehicles, tourist cars and taxis (except for contract vehicles to transport workers and experts working in industrial area. They also ought to comply with measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in accordance with regulations and guidelines of the functional sector).
For the activities of normal bus and fixed-route bus passing through Bac Ninh province, it is absolutely forbidden to stop, pick up and drop off passengers in Bac Ninh province. In addition, the Department of Transport also issued a directive to suspend the activities of bus stations and river crossing stations. Layover in the province are also not allowed to accept long-distance cargo vans, container trucks or passenger transportation vehicles.
The Department requested the Department Inspector, the Financial Planning Department – Traffic Safety and stations in the province to regularly check and monitor the compliance of transport businesses and strictly handle violation situations.
The Provincial People’s Committee also advised people not to use public transport temporarily to limit the spread of the disease.
Bac Giang: Suspending all passenger transportation and adjusting the routes passing through districts implementing social distancing
As one of the localities witnessed the fastest spreading rate of SARS-COV2 in the over country during the 4th wave of COVID-19, Bac Giang took drastic and timely measures to prevent the outbreak of the disease. Specifically, the Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee directed the implementation of social distancing in all four districts of Yen Dung, Lang Giang, Luc Nam and Viet Yen from May 18, 2021.
Like Bac Ninh, The Department of Transport of Bac Giang has just requested to stop all passenger transportation by car in the province area, including inter-provincial passenger transportation and intra-provincial passenger transportation (except for serving epidemic prevention or some other tasks) from 0:00 on May 21.
In order to ensure safety in the prevention of COVID-19 and make secure that people’s travel needs are not affected too much, the Bac Giang Department of Transport has organized a division with each area.
Specifically, the People’s Committee of Yen Dung district deployed checkpoints to control vehicles passing through the intersections with two adjacent provinces: Bac Ninh and Hai Duong. Lang Giang District People’s Committee deployed checkpoints to control vehicles passing through the intersection with Lang Son province and neighboring districts of Yen The and Tan Yen. The People’s Committee of Luc Nam district set up checkpoints to check vehicles passing through intersections with Hai Duong, Lang Son, Luc Ngan districts and Bac Giang city.
Vehicles passing through the social distancing area are also followed to mark and traffic signs. Bac Giang Department of Transport also assigned affiliated agency to coordinate with local authorities to survey locations, send people to coordinate traffic instructions and guide vehicles in moving properly.
For more updates on information related to passenger transport business, do not miss out Kinglong.vn.