Editor’s note: The opinion below was originally written in Vietnamese by Manh Quang. It was rewritten in English and edited by Tuoi Tre News for clarity, consistency, and coherence.

Despite the availability of various transportation options, I still choose to take the bus about five to six days a month, primarily to support public transport, reduce congestion, and lessen environmental pollution. 

Additionally, I want to experience firsthand how Ho Chi Minh City’s bus services have evolved.

While buses have seen positive changes, much still needs to be done to align with current trends.

I was once on a bus route and noticed that some drivers and conductors had turned the upper rows of seats into living spaces and dining areas, treating them as if they were their personal space. 

Not only did they have food and drinks out, but they also prevented passengers from sitting in those seats. 

When a female passenger tried to sit on one of the upper seats, the conductor immediately told her, “Go down there and sit, ma’am!” 

On the bus, passengers should have the right to sit wherever they feel comfortable when seats are available.

Why should they be restricted to certain seats?

On the same route, many buses refuse to allow passengers with large suitcases, while small baggage is charged an additional VND5,000 (US$0.2), even though the fare schedule posted on the bus makes no mention of this extra charge.

Bus stations are also often overcrowded, poorly maintained, and dirty, with some being used as garbage collection points, parking lots, or even makeshift storage for businesses. 

Waiting at these stations is unpleasant due to bad smells and the presence of litter.

Although encroachment and littering fall outside the bus management unit’s control, it would be beneficial if they collaborated with local sanitation services for regular cleaning and monitoring.

Some stations have been upgraded with electronic boards, but the information provided is minimal, typically just the bus route number and the stations it serves. 

Passengers often have to wave down the bus from a distance, and if they’re too slow, the bus may pass by, forcing them to wait for the next one.

In places where I’ve traveled, such as Seoul, buses are not only clean and well-maintained but also stop at every station, and passengers don’t need to flag them down. 

Electronic boards provide detailed, accurate information, including how many minutes until the next bus arrives.

In contrast, in Ho Chi Minh City, while some gas-powered buses are environmentally friendly, many older buses continue to emit thick smoke. 

Buses on routes like Cu Chi and Long An-Cho Lon are particularly notorious for releasing black smoke, which affects other vehicles, especially motorcycles.

There is also a need to accelerate the use of technology in public transport, such as through the development of the Go!Bus app and ticket cards. 

Some bus routes are equipped with smart payment tickets that use a payment code scanner for a specific electronic wallet. 

However, the system’s functionality is inconsistent, and not all passengers use this e-wallet.

With the metro now in operation, there should be plans to integrate a single card that can be used for both metro and bus rides, simplifying ticketing and promoting cashless payments.

Cities like Seoul, Taipei, and several in Japan offer significant discounts or even free bus rides for passengers who transfer between the metro and bus within a set time frame, usually 30 to 60 minutes. 

This system not only makes public transport more convenient but also encourages its use.

When my friends visited Ho Chi Minh City and wanted to take the bus home late at night, they were surprised to learn that buses usually stop running by 7:00 or 8:00 pm, including Route 152 linking with Tan Son Nhat International Airport. 

How can we call this public transport in a major city if buses stop so early? 

Extending service hours to 10:00 pm, 11:00 pm, or even midnight could support the night economy and serve passengers better.

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