A bus station in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Smart bus cards are now piloted in Ho Chi Minh Cityafter a launching ceremony was held in the southern metropolis on March 8.
The pilot programme is orientated towards non-cash payments and the use of a singlepayment card for all public transport types in the city, according to TranQuang Lam, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Transport.
The use of e-tickets is in line with the city’s smart urban building plan, aswell as the world’s public transport development trend, he said, adding thatthe pilot programme is scheduled to last one year.
The smart cards will first be applied on route No.86 running from Ben Thanh to TonDuc Thang University, said Director of the city’s Management and OperationCentre for Public Transport Tran Chi Trung.
The municipal People’s Committee on February 12, 2019 issued a document approvingthe transport department’s proposal to allow the Vietnam Joint Stock CommercialBank for Industry and Trade and Zion JSC to pilot automatic bus fare paymentsusing corporate funding.
During the 2018-2020 period, HCM City will focuson developing its public transportation system, which is expected to meet 15percent of residents’ transport needs by 2020.
The city will also expand public bus routes thatconnect to new urban areas and industrial parks in the city, and link the TanSon Nhat International Airport with neighbouring provinces.
New bus routes to transfer students to schoolsand universities across the city will also be established.
The city has prioritised public transport,including new bus stations and upgrading old ones, installing supervisorysystems at stations, and setting up motorbike parking lots for passengers whouse public transport.
It expects to complete the use of smart cardsfor all public buses by 2020. –VNA
VNA
