443 more electric buses
Speaking at the announcement ceremony on July 31, Mr. Nguyen Vinh Toan, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, emphasized that after merging a number of routes, the city now has a total of 164 bus routes. Ho Chi Minh City is gradually switching from fossil fuel-based vehicles to green, environmentally friendly energy.
Phuong Trang Passenger Transport Joint Stock Company also equipped a system of depots, charging stations, technical maintenance and professional operating personnel to serve dozens of new electric bus routes. The operation of 443 electric buses will increase the total number of electric buses in the area to 613, accounting for 26.2% of the total number of buses currently in operation. If we add about 500 buses using CNG gas in operation, the rate of clean vehicles in Ho Chi Minh City currently reaches 45%, creating a solid foundation for the goal of 100% of buses using green energy by 2030. Not only a means of transportation, electric buses are considered a solution to gradually replace personal vehicles thanks to the seamless connection of many convenient types of transportation.
Ms. Le Thu Hang (resident of Long Truong ward, Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “Before, I often went to work by motorbike. But since the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line was put into operation and there was an additional connecting electric bus route, I switched to using these two means of transport. The electric bus runs smoothly, has no oil smell, has air conditioning and wifi. I hope there will be more routes like this to make it easier for people to travel.”
Ho Chi Minh City currently has 164 bus routes with about 2,342 buses (1,889 subsidized buses, 453 non-subsidized buses).
Tran Van Hung (student of the University of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City National University) also said: I look up route information right on the app, the bus arrives on time, has a screen, and a speaker, which is very convenient. The electric bus is also very clean, and paying for tickets by QR code or bank account is possible. I hope there will be more routes to make it easier to go to school and go out. For the elderly, the low-floor design and convenient entrance and exit, clear instructions, quiet and clean space of the electric bus also create a feeling of safety and comfort. From the actual implementation, many electric bus routes have recorded a rate of passengers using monthly tickets of 80-85%, showing the growing trust of people in this type of transport.
The electric bus system is reorganized to take on the role of connecting and transferring passengers to the stations of metro line 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien). The routes are planned synchronously, ensuring reasonable travel time and close connection with other metros in the future. Thereby helping to form a unified, modern and more convenient public transport network for residents and tourists.
Towards comprehensive greening
According to the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, the service quality of electric bus routes is currently stable and safe. Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Center said that the customer satisfaction index for electric buses reached more than 90%, a very optimistic figure in the context of the bus industry under a lot of pressure due to the decrease in passenger numbers compared to previous years.
Ho Chi Minh City is building a roadmap to convert all gasoline-powered buses to electric or clean natural gas (CNG) buses from now until 2030, with the goal of 100% of buses using green energy. According to Mr. Le Hoan, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Center, the draft resolution regulating the conversion roadmap has been completed and will be submitted to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council in September this year. The city will require new bus routes from 2025 onwards to use electric or green fuel vehicles. At the same time, there will be policies to support transport units in the process of converting vehicles and investing in charging stations.
To realize this goal, Ho Chi Minh City faces many major challenges in terms of capital and infrastructure. It is expected that the total cost of implementing the green bus system program in the 2025-2030 period will be more than VND 13,800 billion, including VND 2,000 billion to support interest rates on loans to invest in vehicle conversion for businesses; VND 1,300 billion to invest in building charging stations; the rest will be mobilized by businesses themselves. In addition, the infrastructure of electric charging stations and CNG filling stations in the city is still very limited. By 2030, Ho Chi Minh City is expected to need 25 electric charging stations with at least 269 charging posts for more than 3,300 electric buses; 6 CNG filling stations for about 528 buses using clean gas. Investing in depots, parking lots, and technical maintenance centers also requires a large resource in terms of finance and land planning, which is a big challenge in a densely populated urban area like Ho Chi Minh City.
Transport experts say that electric buses are not just about vehicles, but a comprehensive change in the way the public transport system is organized, in investment policies and in the belief in people's behavioral changes. And if implemented in the right direction and with proper investment, Ho Chi Minh City can become a leading model in the country in building green cities, where buses are not only a means of transport, but also a symbol of a civilized, clean and livable city.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tu-hom-nay-1-8-tphcm-dua-vao-van-hanh-600-xe-buyt-moi-post806349.html
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