HCM City proposes using minibuses

The southern metropolis Ho Chi Minh City is seeking to run 12-17-seater minibuses to make it easier for local residents to get access to this public transport services as the city has a lot of narrow roads with high traffic flows.

In a proposal sent to the Prime Minister, the municipal People’s Committee said minibuses would provide better connections between residential areas and those where traffic infrastructure has yet to be developed thanks to their small size.

The city currently has over 2,300 buses, mostly 17-60-seater vehicles.

It has nearly 5,000 streets in total with over 3,450 routes of less than seven meters in width, which are impossible for its existing public buses to enter.

The lack of public bus services has thus forced residents to rely on their personal vehicles.

As planned, by 2022, the city will have 30 minibus routes linked with stations along the metro line No.1, 10 bus routes connecting with the bus rapid transit No.1, and several others linking with new urban areas.