The volume of passengers passing through Ho Chi Minh City’s new Mien Dong (Eastern) Bus Station has reached fewer than 50 percent of its capacity, failing to meet expectations of the city’s transport authority.
Besides, the number of interprovincial buses operating at the new station remained lower than expected, the Department of Transport said in a report sent to the municipal government regarding the business performance of the station.
After fixed-route passenger bus operators shifted their operations to the new station in Thu Duc City from the old one in Binh Thanh District starting from October 11 last year, some reportedly suspended operations or cut down on their services due to low passenger numbers.
Also, a rising number of buses were found to have picked up and dropped off passengers outside the new station.
The issues mentioned above have made life much tougher for the new station to achieve an acceptable level of business performance.
The transport department also pointed out some other reasons behind the new station’s underperforming business.
The majority of local residents have not gotten into the habit of traveling to the new station.
The infrastructure facilities surrounding the new station are incomplete, while public transport means, such as the city’s first metro line, have yet to be connected with the station.
The new station operator coordinated with Phuong Trang - FUTA Bus Lines, a Vietnamese passenger transport service provider, to offer passengers free transit to and from the new station but that has yet to meet the demand, due to poor cooperation among other transport businesses.
Given these obstacles, the transport department proposed the municipal government ask the Management Authority for Urban Railways, the Thu Duc City administration, and relevant agencies to ramp up efforts to complete infrastructure facilities surrounding the new station to attract more passengers.
Saigon Transportation Mechanical Corporation (SAMCO), the investor of the new station, should consider a plan on reducing service fees and offering parking lots for taxis and ride-hailing vehicles at the station, the department suggested.
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