On Monday morning, five subsidised intra-city bus routes at the second phase were put into operation in Da Nang.

New subsidised buses have been put into operation. Photo: THANH LAN

Managed by the Da Nang Department of Transport and the Phuong Trang Passenger Coach Joint Stock Company (FUTA Bus Lines), these bus routes have had their contracts terminated with the branch No2 of the Quang An 1 JSC.

Specifically, the starting and ending points of the route No. 05 are Hoa Hiep Nam Apartment Complex - East Sea Park, No 07: Xuan Dieu Bus Station - Southern Bus Station, No 08: Vung Thung - Pham Hung Bus Station, No 11: Xuan Dieu Bus Station - The Da Nang Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital, and No.12: Xuan Dieu Bus Station - Pham Hung Bus Station.

It is known that all buses operating on the newly-launched subsidised routes are 100% new invested by the FUTA Bus Lines. They are a new version of GAZ Minibus B26i - Russia's top producer of commercial vehicles. All are equipped with cameras, GPS, wifi, the environmentally friendly EEV-certified drive system.

Free bus tickets are given to veteran revolutionary cadres, pre-insurrection cadres, heroic Vietnamese mothers, wounded and sick soldiers with an injury or disease rate of 81% or higher, heroes of the People's Armed Forces, and labor heroes.

Mr. Dang Nam Son (in white shirt), Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Transport, experiencing the subsidised bus. Photo: THANH LAN

According to Mr Ho Nguyen Quoc Cuong, the Director of the Da Nang Traffic Signal and Public Transport Operation Centre, the bus routes have had their starting and ending points adjusted to shorten the journey time and avoid detours, thereby increasing the efficiency of the routes.

"The buses operate daily on the routes every 10-30 minutes from 5:30 am to 7:00 pm" Mr. Cuong said.

Mr. Dao Viet Anh, General Director of the Phuong Trang Passenger Coach JSC - FUTA Bus Lines, remarked that FUTA Bus Lines will develop accompanying services and utilities in the coming time such as in-vehicle convenience improvement, convenient payment systems, and the exploitation of technology in a bid to enhance the customer experience.

Reporting by THANH LAN - Translating by M.DUNG