The bus routes No. 7 and 8 have operated since 2014 to meet the local travel demand. However, the bus route 8 has just been stopped and the bus route 7 is operating moderately due to unprofitable business...
The bus routes No. 7 and 8 have operated since 2014 to meet the local travel demand. However, the bus route 8 has just been stopped and the bus route 7 is operating moderately due to unprofitable business.
The bus route 7 starts at the Northern Coach Station, Nha Trang City and ends in Khanh Vinh District with a distance of 42km. The bus route 8 runs from Dien Khanh Town, Dien Khanh District to Khanh Binh Commune, Khanh Vinh District with a distance of 24km. The 2 bus routes have been operated by Quyet Thang Khanh Hoa Company since 2014.
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The bus route 8 has met the travel demand of local commuters, mostly ethnic minority people, students and teachers traveling from Dien Khanh to Khanh Binh. However, since March, the bus route 8 service has stopped, resulting in travel difficulties for those who rely on the bus as their primary mode of transport. Local residents have reported their problems to the Commune People’s Committee many times. In the voters’ meeting of the People’s Committees of the district and province on May 15, local residents also asked for the re-operation of the bus route. “We have sent the suggestion to Khanh Hoa Department of Transportation, Quyet Thang Khanh Hoa Company and Khanh Hoa People’s Committee,” says Phan Dinh Tuyen, Chairman of Khanh Binh Commune People’s Committee.
“Since the bus route 8 stopped, I have to ask for a ride or take a motorcycle taxi to Dien Khanh District. I hope the bus route will reopen soon. This is the hope of many other residents in the commune,” says Pham Thi Lanh, a local resident in Khanh Binh. A survey and estimation of the local authority show since their operation, the 2 bus routes have served an average of 200,000 passengers/ year and got the thumbs up from local residents.
However, the 2 bus routes are community-funded and Quyet Thang Khanh Hoa Company makes revenue and expenditure balance. According to the company, the 2 bus routes operate at a loss of VND1.8 billion every year. Even with the funding support in accordance to the conclusion report of Khanh Hoa People’s Committee, the loss is estimated at VND600 million/ year on an average.
Nguyen Thanh Duc, Director of Quyet Thang Khanh Hoa Company says from February 1, 2017, the company has received funding worth VND2,124/km from Khanh Hoa People’s Committee. The funding for the 2 routes does not exceed VND1.3 billion a year. Accordingly, every quarter, the company receives some VND310 million in support of the operation of the 2 bus routes.
In spite of unprofitable business, the company continues operating the bus routes to serve remote and disadvantaged communities. However, on February 22, 2019, Khanh Hoa People’s Committee had a document to stop funding the operation of the 2 bus routes from March 2019.
From March, the company has stopped the operation of the bus route 7 and decreased buses to 2 from 4 or 6 on the route No. 8. “We have received a lot of ideas and comments expressing expectation to continue the bus service on the two routes to serve the local travel demand. However, the situation is difficult, especially when the provincial People's Committee has stopped funding the bus routes,” adds Nguyen Thanh Duc.
Reportedly, to continue the bus routes No. 7 and No. 8, Khanh Hoa Department of Transportation, Department of Finance and the districts of Dien Khanh and Khanh Vinh have asked the provincial People's Committee for bidding to determine the funding for the 2 bus routes. The Provincial People's Committee has agreed in principle and assigned the Department of Transportation to organize the bidding. "We are collecting comments from local departments and agencies to organize the bidding. The specific time for the bidding has not been determined yet," says Cao Tan Loi, Deputy Director of the Department of Transportation.
Vinh Thanh
Translated by N.T
