HCMC – HCMC is seeking Government approval to resume the operation of four-wheel buggies that are powered by batteries or gasoline to meet the city tour demand of tourists.
Under Government Decrees 158 and 165, provinces and centrally-run cities must suspend the operation of such buggies as from July 1 this year. The suspension has affected tourist transport businesses in the city.
Nguyen Quoc Vinh, deputy head of the Transport Management Division under the Construction Department of HCMC, said at a press briefing on August 28 that the city had sent the Government the proposal. It is also working with the Department of Tourism and the police to assess the impact and propose solutions.
Four-wheel tourist buggies are restricted to running at 30 km per hour. In the past, they could operate on roads with higher speed limits but since Government Decree 165 came into force in mid-February this year, such buggies can only operate on those roads with a speed limit of 30 km per hour.
The new regulation has made it impossible to arrange separate roads for four-wheel tourist buggies, so HCMC has suspended the buggy service due to its busy traffic conditions.
In August, the Department of Construction held meetings with other agencies to discuss maintaining service on tourist routes in wards such as Saigon, Cho Lon, Vung Tau, and Tam Thang.
The Construction Department plans to report its findings to the People’s Committee and propose amendments or replacements for Decree 165 in September to balance safety requirements with the development of green transport for tourism.
