HCM City (VNA) - Ho Chi Minh City will extend its suspension of road passenger transport until April 22, announced the municipal Department of Transport on April 15.
It is part of the measures to curb the transmission of COVID-19 in the country's southern hub.
The suspension will not be applied to vehicles used for official purposes or the supply of food and necessities, along with those picking up workers and experts and carrying materials and products, and ambulances.
Vehicles need to be disinfected before and after the trips, and must ensure that they carry only 50 percent of their designed capacity, with the number of passengers of less than 20 per trip. All people are required to wear face masks and undergo health checks before setting off and make health declarations.
During the one-week suspension, 200 taxis will be on standby for essential travel in the city, some of which will be stationed at local hospitals.
Regarding waterway transport, the Cat Lai ferry linking the city’s District 2 with the neighbouring province of Dong Nai will operate as usual. It will be mainly used for carrying food, necessities, materials and medical supplies.
Passenger vehicles and trucks with a gross vehicle mass of over 8 tonnes are not permitted to use the ferry.
The Binh Khanh ferry will also continue to serve workers in Can Gio district travelling to industrial parks and vehicles carrying people to concentrated quarantine facilities.
Ferries servicing the Can Thanh-Phu Loi Islet route and the Phu Loi Islet-Thieng Lieng route in Can Gio district will continue to operate./.