HCM City to resume buses, taxis, tech-based cars from Oct. 5
Ho Chi Minh City has allowed buses, taxis, passenger cars and tech-based vehicles with fewer than nine seats each to resume their operations from October 5.
The HCM City Department of Transport recently issued a document guiding the resumption of passenger transport services, the local media reported.
Accordingly, the operation frequency and time of buses will depend on the pandemic situation and demand in each area.
Meanwhile, taxi firms will register the number of vehicles operating from October 5 but the number must not exceed 20% of their total fleet.
As for tech-based vehicles, the number of vehicles resuming their operations must not be higher than 10% of the total vehicles registered with such firms.
The city also allowed cars which do not use technology to connect with customers to serve the tourism programs of the HCMC Department of Tourism and the governments of Thu Duc City and districts and activities of the healthcare sector, as well as to transport workers and experts.
Moreover, tourism firms will resume no more than 30% of their passenger cars.
The municipal Department of Transport will grant these vehicles identification certificates with QR codes. The department will revise the number of vehicles allowed to operate based on the reality.
Traditional motorbike taxis and ride-hailing motorbikes will be still suspended.
The city government also allowed the Binh Khanh and Cat Lat ferries to resume their operations.
The city will create favorable conditions for residents from other localities to the city for medical checkup and treatment. Except for emergency cases, others must have negative COVID-19 test certificates conducted within 72 hours and be allowed to travel by their local authorities.
Besides these two documents, HCM City residents returning to the city from other localities must provide documents proving their residence in HCM City.
Meanwhile, only sick people, children and pregnant women in HCM City were allowed to travel to other localities. However, they must be vaccinated, recover from COVID-19 and test negative for COVID-19.
Those coming from other localities to HCM City must also be subject to these requirements and must be allowed by their localities.
HCM City has approved a plan to bring laborers from other localities back to the city to work. However, the transport of laborers by trains and air will be in line with the plans of the Ministry of Transport.
From October 1, HCM City has applied Directive 18 on adjusting COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures and gradually reopening the economy.