HCMC – The HCMC Management Center of Public Transport has proposed resuming all subsidized bus routes after November 15.
The center proposed the HCMC Department of Transport to resume the bus routes in three phases depending on the commuter demand and Covid situation, the local media reported.
Under the proposal, from October 25 to November 1, 16 key bus routes passing through coach stations in the city will resume their operations.
In the next phase from November 8, if the situation improves, the city will reopen 29 more bus routes passing through industrial and export processing zones, wholesale markets, and other places. The number of daily bus rides on each route should not exceed 50% of the total.
The remaining 41 bus routes of the city’s public bus system will restart their operations in the third phase from November 15.
Bus routes Nos. 50, 52 and 86, which mainly serve students, will restart operations depending on the reopening of schools and universities. Buses plying on these routes might operate from 4:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day. The number of daily bus rides on each route should not exceed 70% of the total.
Based on the number of commuters on bus routes in the three phases, the center will adjust the buses’ operating frequency and time. The number of daily bus rides on each route might be revised up to 80% of the total.
In addition, the center asked transport firms using non-subsidized bus routes in the city to review the number of buses and employees and submit their plans to reopen these routes.
Earlier, HCMC had allowed several buses to resume in Covid-safe areas where the demand from residents was high, such as Can Gio District. However, the number of passengers on these routes remained low due to concerns over transmission.
