A time of ups and downs
In 2005, public passenger transport service by bus appeared for the first time in Quang Nam, by forming the inter-provincial route adjacent to Tam Ky - Da Nang and vice versa.
After this "launch", many inter-provincial bus routes and intra-provincial buses were launched, connecting rural areas with urban areas, and between plains, coastal areas and mountainous areas.
“The bus routes (all without budget subsidies) have met the needs of people from all walks of life, including tourists, for travel, business, work, study and medical treatment. Buses have replaced most personal vehicles on the road, reducing the risk of collisions and contributing to ensuring traffic safety,” said Mr. Truong Van Can, former Director of the Quang Nam Department of Transport.
Before 2020, Quang Nam and Da Nang had many two-way bus routes, including Tam Ky - Da Nang, Phu Da (Duy Xuyen) - Da Nang, Que Son - Da Nang, Ai Nghia (Dai Loc) - Da Nang, Hoi An - Da Nang.
These bus routes operate in the inner city of Da Nang with fares suitable for the income of the majority of workers. Similar to inter-provincial buses, intra-provincial bus routes are not only used by students, workers or people going to work or going to the doctor, but also by officials and civil servants.
During weekends, holidays, and Tet holidays, buses have successfully handled the sudden increase in traffic demand. In addition, buses have also been mobilized to evacuate people during the rainy and stormy season, and to transport people to quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But after a period of operation, the quality of the vehicles has increasingly deteriorated, and the vehicles cannot maintain air conditioning (except for the Tam Ky - Hoi An - Dien Ngoc and Tam Ky - Chu Lai airport routes).
More importantly, because transport businesses, especially cooperatives, assign all revenue to their members, who are vehicle owners and drivers, leading to conflicts and competition for customers among vehicles, it creates a bad image, affecting traffic safety and social order.
Revival
Since September 1, 2020, Da Nang has implemented a policy of adjusting the route of the bus routes connecting Quang Nam - Da Nang out of the city center.
From Quang Nam to the outskirts of Da Nang, new buses arriving at the southern bus station (Tam Ky - Da Nang, Phu Da - Da Nang, Que Son - Da Nang routes), or the Vietnam - Korea University bus station (Hoi An - Da Nang), or the administrative center of Hoa Vang district (Ai Nghia - Da Nang) must stop.
Passengers who want to go into the city must choose motorbike taxis or other means of transport, which are both time-consuming and expensive, so there are fewer and fewer customers. Originally not subsidized, combined with fierce competition from technology cars, leading to inefficiency, the transport business unit had to stop operating.
According to Mr. Vo Hong - former Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, it is really regrettable that the bus routes connecting Quang Nam and Da Nang are no longer operating. Because the intersection between Quang Nam and Da Nang is very large.
People in Quang Nam who do not have children going to school also have children living and working in Da Nang; conversely, many children living in Da Nang have parents and close relatives in Quang Nam... Therefore, the bus from Quang Nam to Da Nang and vice versa was born to legitimately serve the travel needs of the people and officials of the two localities.
With the consensus of the Standing Committee of the Quang Nam Provincial Party Committee and the Standing Committee of the Da Nang City Party Committee, relevant levels and sectors have made efforts to promote the development and completion of the connection plan, agreed on the content, methods, and implementing unit, and selected a pilot unit to connect the two-way non-subsidized bus routes Da Nang - Tam Ky and Da Nang - Hoi An.
On April 26, bus routes No. 02, LK02, No. 21, LK21 were officially announced to operate. Modern buses, designs suitable for the actual traffic infrastructure, and affordable prices have received great attention from the people.
According to Mr. Le Quang Hieu - Deputy Director of Quang Nam Department of Transport, the above bus routes will help reduce the number of motorbikes on the road, ensure traffic safety, and be in line with the planning of the vehicle network.
Mr. Hieu also recommended that bus operators must strictly comply with their commitments and legal regulations. Quang Nam authorities regularly inspect and strictly handle violations, contributing to the orderly operation of bus transport, basically meeting the standards of civilized passenger transport services.
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