What did the Ministry of Transport do to make the vehicle inspection industry change completely after a series of scandals?

At the end of October 2022, people across the country suffered because of the scandals of the vehicle inspection industry being exposed, causing 106/281 facilities to be closed consecutively and more than 600 officers and inspectors to be prosecuted and arrested on many charges.

But after half a year, the appearance of the inspection industry has changed completely.

After half a year of scandals, the vehicle inspection industry is taking on a new face. (Photo: Thanh Cong Group)

Unexpected bright spots

In early June, Mr. Quach Ha Duong (Thanh Tri, Hanoi) was shocked when he called his friends to ask for the registration address for his Hyundai car.

His family's Accent is due for inspection on June 9 because he was afraid of the overloaded inspection situation and would have to wait in line for many days. However, when he looked up information, he learned that the overloaded inspection situation has now been resolved, and he can register for an inspection appointment online or postpone the vehicle inspection for up to 6 months.

“I don’t pay much attention to the daily news, I only know about the troubles when going to get my vehicle inspected recently, because so many people are complaining. Therefore, when it was my turn to go to get my vehicle inspected, I was very worried. However, when I received instructions from the inspection centers, I immediately made an appointment for an online inspection and was notified that it was successful. Now I just need to arrange my work to bring my vehicle to the inspection site on the scheduled date according to regulations,” Mr. Duong happily said.

Meanwhile, in the case of taxi driver Pham Van Hai (from Nam Dinh), because his car was due for inspection but the road documents issued by the bank had expired, he could not bring the car in for inspection on time. After going to the inspection center 29-30D (Yen Nghia, Ha Dong) for consultation and guidance, Mr. Hai successfully postponed the inspection to wait for new documents from the bank.

“I bought this car on installments to run a taxi service. Because I didn’t pay attention, the vehicle registration certificate that the bank photocopied and issued to me for driving has expired, so I can’t have the vehicle inspected according to regulations. I’m worried about what to do because if I continue to drive the vehicle on the road, I will be fined, and to get new papers from the bank, I will have to go back to my hometown for many days. Fortunately, the recent policies of the vehicle inspection industry have helped overcome many limitations. I find that the current vehicle inspection process is very convenient, completely different from before,” said Mr. Hai.

Motor vehicle inspection activities have changed completely compared to more than half a year ago. (Photo: Thanh Lam)

Agreeing with the above comment, a representative of a passenger transport company on the Hanoi - Lao Cai route said that with the current changes, the vehicle inspection industry has helped transport businesses become more proactive and brought about significant economic benefits.

“We no longer have to prepare bribes like before, and vehicle inspections are no longer done in a beg-and-give manner. Vehicle owners are also more aware of maintaining and checking their vehicles before taking them for inspection. In recent days, vehicle inspections have improved significantly,” the representative of this car company emphasized.

A series of strong moves by the Ministry of Transport

To achieve the above positive results, it is impossible not to mention the role of the Ministry of Transport in general and the vehicle inspection industry in particular.

At the conference to summarize the year 2022 and deploy tasks for 2023 of the Vietnam Register, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang emphasized: "There is no other way, the Register must face the truth, fight to the end against the state of degeneration and corruption, even if it means having to replace 100% of the registration staff... By all means, we must soon restore registration activities nationwide."

There is no other way, the Department of Registration must face the truth, fight to the end against the state of degeneration and corruption, even if it has to replace 100% of the registration staff... By all means, we must soon restore registration activities nationwide."

On March 22, the Ministry of Transport issued Circular No. 02/2023 with many new regulations such as: Exemption from first-time vehicle inspection for new cars and Adjustment of inspection cycle for some types of motor vehicles, receiving positive response from the people.

Most recently, the Ministry continued to issue Circular No. 08/2023 amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 16/2021 regulating technical safety and environmental protection inspection of road motor vehicles, officially effective from June 3, 2023.

Accordingly, passenger vehicles with up to 9 seats that are not used for commercial transportation (with a production period of up to 7 years and a production period of 13-20 years) that have been granted certificates and inspection stamps before March 22, 2023 and are still valid for inspection as of June 3, 2023 will have their inspection cycle automatically extended according to the new cycle prescribed in Circular 02/2023.

The inspection agency will automatically issue a certificate confirming the validity of the certificate and inspection stamp for the above vehicles without the vehicle owner having to bring the vehicle to the inspection center for re-inspection.

In addition, Circular 08/2023 also provides many new regulations to prioritize vehicle inspections that have expired but have not been inspected; prevent inspection centers from rejecting vehicles exempted from first-time inspections and clearly define responsibilities, raising vehicle owners' awareness of vehicle maintenance.

Thanks to the synchronous implementation of the above solutions, along with human resource support from the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defense, up to now, 72 inspection units have been restored nationwide, bringing the total number of operating units to 249/281 units. In Hanoi alone, 26/31 and in Ho Chi Minh City, 16/19 inspection units are operating.

Comprehensive innovation of the vehicle inspection industry

To limit violations by inspection centers, the Ministry of Transport has directed the Department of Inspection to review and amend legal documents to perfect mechanisms, policies, and legal corridors to overcome loopholes, shortcomings, and inadequacies that have arisen in recent times.

Specifically, ensuring the establishment of inspection centers in accordance with the reality of the increasing number of vehicles in each region and locality to create the most favorable conditions for people when going to inspect vehicles; Strictly regulating the technical facilities of inspection centers in the direction of automation, minimizing manual inspection items.

At the same time, strictly regulate the inspection process in the direction of ensuring publicity, transparency, ease of implementation as well as meeting the requirements in inspection and examination work; Improve the level of human resources in the direction of meeting the requirements of management level, professional level as well as professional ethics, ensure that inspection centers clearly define the objective of inspection activities as providing public services to perform inspection work and issue inspection certificates for motor vehicles to serve society instead of using profit goals to violate regulations as in the recent past.

At the same time, build a new synchronous inspection management software system in the direction of managing and monitoring vehicle inspection work in real time (online), ensuring confidentiality and limiting intervention and repair to vehicle inspection results.

The Vietnam Register said that it has also added sanctions for inspection units, inspectors and employees for acts of arbitrarily making requests or issuing procedures not included in regulations, refusing to provide inspection services... causing difficulties for businesses and people.

Currently, the Ministry of Transport is continuing to submit to the Government for consideration and signing of the Decree amending and supplementing Decree No. 139/2018/ND-CP and related legal documents to take advantage of social resources to participate in motor vehicle inspection; urgently apply new technology...

The Ministry also proposed that the Prime Minister consider and approve the development of the Project "Innovation of State management in the field of vehicle inspection".

The project clearly defines the roles, functions, and tasks of State management of vehicle inspection with the function of organizing the provision of vehicle inspection services (public services); clearly defines the contents of State management performed by the Ministry of Transport, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, the Vietnam Register, and the Department of Transport; continues to decentralize vehicle inspection work between the Ministry of Transport, the Vietnam Register, and local authorities.

The project also clarifies the orientation and roadmap for innovation and reorganization of the Registry Department to ensure streamlining, efficiency, and suitability to practical situations.

Source: https://vtc.vn/bo-gtvt-lam-gi-khien-nganh-dang-kiem-thay-doi-toan-dien-sau-loat-lum-xum-ar797870.html