HCMC – The HCMC Department of Transport has proposed piloting five electric bus routes in the first quarter of 2022 to connect residential areas and diversify public transport.
The pilot is expected to be conducted in two years. The city will provide a subsidy of 44% for the operator of these bus routes.
This is the second time the pilot of the electric bus service has been proposed, the local media reported.
Specifically, the five proposed electric bus routes comprise those connecting the Vinhome Grand Park Urban Area in Thu Duc City to the Emart trade center in Go Vap District; the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Tan Binh District; the Saigon bus station in District 1; the new Mien Dong Coach Station in Thu Duc City; and the Vietnam National University HCMC urban area in Thu Duc City.
Some 77 buses will run on these routes from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. The tickets are proposed at VND3,000 each for students and VND5,000-7,000 each for other commuters, while the monthly tickets may cost VND112,500-157,500.
Buses will pick up and drop off passengers at existing stations. In addition, the investor of the five electric bus routes, Vinbus Ecology Transport Services Limited Liability Company, a subsidiary of Vingroup, will develop nine more stations, a parking lot with an area of over 12,200 square meters at the Vinhome Grand Park Urban Area, and charging stations.
Earlier, HCMC had piloted three electric bus routes, using 12-seat minibuses, in districts 1 and 7. The city has recently approved a two-year pilot of electric cars with fewer than 15 seats in Can Gio District. These vehicles would transport tourists to hotels and tourist sites.
The city currently has 126 bus routes, including 90 subsidized routes and 36 non-subsidized routes. The city subsidizes some VND1 trillion for buses per year.
