HCMC – The HCMC Department of Transport on September 24 sent an urgent dispatch to the relevant departments and agencies about a draft plan to resume passenger transport services, including passenger cars, buses, contracted cars, taxis and tech-based cars, from October 1.
Under the draft plan, vehicles serving the Covid fight and transporting goods and medical workers, patients and anti-virus forces, hearses and vehicles for repair purposes will be allowed to re-operate in areas under lockdown, the local media reported.
Apart from vehicles permitted in locked-down areas, motorbikes using ride-hailing apps to deliver goods, vehicles transporting construction materials and equipment, taxis granted a QR code by the municipal Department of Transport and others transporting workers and experts might operate in low-risk areas.
Aside from the resumption of vehicles permitted in locked-down and low-risk areas, the areas entering the new normal stage might also see buses, contracted cars and water buses resume their operations. The contracted cars will be granted QR codes by the municipal department, while buses will operate on a few routes.
Buses, taxis and contracted cars with under nine seats and passenger cars will have to adjust their capacity and frequency suitably depending on the pandemic situation.
As for people traveling to HCMC from other provinces and cities for medical examination and treatment, they will have to show a negative Covid test certificate conducted 72 hours before their arrival and a medical referral certificate or a notice of re-examination appointment offered by a hospital in HCMC.
Besides, they will also have to show a travel permit granted by the local authorities.
Under the draft plan, the city will continue to maintain the operations of 12 main Covid checkpoints at gateways to the city and 49 auxiliary checkpoints to monitor people and vehicles leaving and entering the city.
