Da Nang’s transport sector is making every effort to encourage locals to travel by bus, as well as help them better understand the benefits and efficiency of this mean of transportation, thereby contributing to reducing the use of personal vehicles and avoiding traffic jams in the locality.

A subsidised intra-city bus is seen operating in the city. Photo: PHUONG UYEN

Chief of the Office of the Da Nang Traffic Safety Committee Le Van Lam said, in order to introduce information about bus routes in the city, and at the same time encourage locals to commute by buses, the city’s Traffic Safety Board in collaboration with the municipal Department of Transport and the Traffic Signal and Public Transport Operation Centre to establish a Traffic Safety Publicity Team.

Since May 2022, the Traffic Safety Publicity Team and related units have jointly organised many publicity sessions in wards, communes as well as schools citywide.

In addition to traffic safety, bus-related information, including routes, how to use Danabus software, benefits of bus travel, and priority beneficiaries, have been introduced to residents and students.

Currently, there are four subsidised intra-city bus routes operating in the city. They are the routes R16: Kim Lien - Viet Nam-Korea Information Technology and Communications University, R17A: Song Han Port - Hoa Vang District Administrative Centre, R4A: Song Han Port - Hoa Tien Commune, and R6A Da Nang Coach Station - Marble Mountains Tourist Area.

Accordingly, buses, all equipped with air conditioning, operate daily on these routes every 30 minutes from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm. Under the city-approved subsidy programme, the bus fares are only VND6,000/passenger. Also, a monthly bus pass for VND130,000 is set for all groups of passengers, whilst a monthly bus pass worth VND65,000 is now available for prioritised commuters such as poor households, people with disabilities, workers, students, and people aged 60 years and above.

On July 18, the municipal Department of Transport sent an official dispatch to local departments and agencies to encourage cadres, civil servants and public employees to commute by bus.

In the 2 weeks of July, more than 300 people commuted by bus, accounting for 84% of the total number of cadres, civil servants and public employees and workers.

Of this, many units have reached 100% of employees commuting by bus such as the Vocational Training School of Public Transport, the Center for Traffic Infrastructure Management, and the Office of Traffic Infrastructure Management.

According to the Acting Director of the municipal Department of Transport Bui Hong Trung, the unit will continue to launch a campaign to encourage people to get into a habit of using public passenger transport in 2022 with the aim of reducing environmental pollution, and traffic congestion and accidents, thereby contributing to building Da Nang into a safe, green, clean, beautiful and civilised city.

In the time to come, the municipal Department of Transport will focus on appealing for transport service providers and their staff to show their friendly and hospitable attitude and behaviour towards passengers, and strictly obey regulations on traffic safety in bus operations and relevant laws.

The Department plans to develop a beautiful, civilised and friendly images of buses, hereby contributing to providing passengers with the best quality of bus services.

Additionally, importance will be attached to regularly maintaining and repairing vehicles to ensure technical requirements, traffic safety and hygiene during the operation process.

Moreover, heed will be on widely publicising information about intra-city bus routes in a bid to encourage local residents to travel by bus.

Reporting by THANH LAN - Translating by M.DUNG