Illustrative image (Photo courtesy of tuoitre.vn) HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City has deployed a number of plans to increase the number of commuters using buses to 11.2 percent this years, up 1.6 percentage points from last year.
The southern largest economic hub has piloted electronic cards on nine crowded routes that pass through universities.
The municipal Department of Transport expects this programme to help increase the number of young people using buses.
The Centre for Public Transport Management will monitor and make requisite changes to the programme.
Tran Quang Lam, Director of the municipal Department of Transport, said the goal is that buses would play a key role in transport in the city by 2020.
HCM City has also studied the use of electric buses and boats and improved service quality on buses and bus infrastructure.
Nguyen Duc Tri, Deputy Director of the Centre for Public Transport Management, said to achieve the target of 15-20 percent of people using buses by 2020, the city plans to have dedicated bus lanes on Dien Bien Phu and Vo Thi Sau streets in district 3, both highly congested during rush hours.
The bus lanes are expected to put into use later this year, he said.-VNA
VNA
