Buses stuck in a traffic jam at the Cua Nam crossroads in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The commute to or fromdowntown Hanoi during rush hours can be stressful to say the least.
Unless of course you opt for a different mode oftransport other than motorcycle car.
As vehicles jostle for space in and out of lanes,the most relaxing place for many commuters is sat on board a bus.
Once such passenger is Thuy Linh who has been abus user in the capital for the past eight years.
Her journey sat by the window reading a book isstress free. She flicks the pages of the novel oblivious to the toots and honkson the streets she travels.
“Convenience is the first reason why I choose thebus as my main mode of transportation,” Linh told Vietnam News. “Both my houseand my workplace are near bus stops.”
But Linh’s choice of transportation isn’t foreveryone.
According to Nguyen Hoang Hai, Director of HanoiUrban Transport Management and Operation Centre (TRAMOC), only 12 percent ofresidents use this form of public transport.
This is far from the goal set five years ago thataimed to have 20 percent of the eight million commuters using buses.
One problem standing in the way is the amount ofride hailing services that have emerged in recent times.
Low prices to get from A to B are often too muchof a temptation for the average commuter to pass up, more so when deals areoffered reducing fares to next to rock bottom prices.
Infrastructure to better the bus journey is alsoan issue. Transit stations, better shelters and special lanes are a rare sight.And the lack of stops means potential passengers are reluctant to walk too farto catch the bus.
Speed is also a factor. As roads get morecongested, bus journeys become longer, according Vietnam News Agency.
Hanoi bus passenger growth in the first half of2019 remained low, creeping up less than 1 percent compared to the same periodlast year.
Plus more than half of all schedules bus serviceswere delayed, in some cases by up to 20 minutes.
Those who do opt for public transport are oftenstudents and the elderly.
Pensioner Dinh Thi Ha from Linh Dam Urban Areachooses buses over motorbikes. For her, No.106 bus is convenient and stopsclose by to the restaurant she works at.
“Buses on this route are clean, and attendants arehelpful. It costs me only 100,000 VND (4.30 USD) a month so I have switched tothe public bus for two years,” she said.
But with a lack of a decent shelter, when it rainsthere can be problems.
“It is acceptable on sunny days yet on rainy days,we have nowhere to hide. Therefore, I think the bus company should set up ashelter here,” she said.
Sharing the opinion, Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh, a studentof University of Labour and Social Affairs, recognised efforts of operators inimproving public transporting service.
“I have observed on the route No.60 connecting theNational Hospital of Tropical Diseases No.2 with Nuoc Ngam Station, driverssometimes skip stops, especially during late rides,” said Anh.
“Although I have raised this several times, thesituation has not improved.”
Passenger Thuy Linh has nothing but praise for theBRT and eco-friendly CNG-fueled vehicles.
“Drivers and attendants of these vehicles are muchmore patient with passengers, waiting for them to get on, get off safely beforerunning,” she said.
Ngoc Ha, a white-collar worker in Hai Ba Trung district,said the smartphone-based app “Tim buyt” (Searching for a bus) helped her tosave time.
“However, it can only track buses operated byTranscerco. If it can include data of other operators, the app is muchconvenient,” she said
Travelling time is the key factor in choosingmeans of transportation, especially to people in working age, according to NguyenNgoc Quang, lecturer of University of Transport.
“To increase its market share, public buses firstneed to ensure punctuality and travelling time to compete with motorbikes,” hesaid.
But he admits more needs to be done to improveawareness and encourage people to swap their motorbikes for the bus which inthe long term will improve air quality and reduce congestion.
This year, Hanoi plans to launch four new busroutes using compressed natural gas vehicles to help protect the environment. Anew, high quality route connecting Ha Dong district and Noi Bai InternationalAirport was opened in June.-VNS/VNA
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