The first Bus Rapid Transit route in Ho Chi Minh City is expected to be put in use in four years, according the city’s officials.

Duong Hong Thanh, Deputy Director of the city's Department of Transport, said a feasibility study was being completed on the proposed route from Mien Tay trans-provincial bus station to Thu Thiem Tunnel and Metro Station Line No1 in Cat Lai.

The proposed 25-km BRT system would run along Vo Van Kiet Boulevard , connecting the east and west portions of the city.

The system would have a fleet of 30 buses that would charge lower fares for students and the poor.

According to the city's Transport Department, the Government of the Republic of Korea has helped the city conduct research and outline eight different BRT schemes that would cover the most important areas of the city.

The chief representative of the Korean International Cooperation Agency in Vietnam said the bus system would provide a safe and convenient transport for the city's residents.

He said he hoped that with the three-year effort of both countries on the bus proposal, the project would be approved and implemented as soon as possible.

The bus system would decrease travel time and improve the bus speed up by 40 percent, as well as reduce air pollution, he said.-VNA