Hanoi Department of Transport has proposed that city authorities halt thegranting of business licences to taxi companies as of March to tighten theiroperations in the city.
The move was made after a series of trafficviolations, fraudulent taxi fares and abuse and assaults of officials by taxidrivers.
Deputy director of the department Nguyen Hoang Linh said that alot of problems had risen from the massive growth in taxi firms.
“Thetransport infrastructure just is not developed enough. A shortage of parkingspace and narrow roads have caused traffic jams in many localities during peakhours,” Linh said.
“Many taxi firms have paid little attention totraining drivers. As a result, many taxis scramble for clients, speed or parkcars in prohibited areas, and have been involved in confrontations with trafficpolice,” he added.
According to him, at least five confrontations betweentaxi drivers and officials occurred last year. The incidents included taxidrivers attempting to run traffic police over and threats made with dangerousitems.
Thousands of cases of traffic violations and collection ofpassengers at unauthorised pick up points were reported.
Linh said thedepartment would stop granting licences for newly-established taxi companies.Enterprises whose licences have expired but have no violations against themwould be re-granted licences to continue business, but those with poor recordsor involved in confrontations with the police would have their licencesrevoked.
The department would conduct regular inspections to insure theimplementation of the decision, Linh said.
Currently, the department wasbuilding a management plan for passenger transportation services provided bytaxis in Hanoi in the 2010-15 period with a vision to 2030, hesaid.
Reports from the department show that Hanoi has 109 taxi firms withmore than 12,100 operational taxis. The capital has the second highest number oftaxis in the country, but ranked first for the number of incidents involvingtaxis./.
The move was made after a series of trafficviolations, fraudulent taxi fares and abuse and assaults of officials by taxidrivers.
Deputy director of the department Nguyen Hoang Linh said that alot of problems had risen from the massive growth in taxi firms.
“Thetransport infrastructure just is not developed enough. A shortage of parkingspace and narrow roads have caused traffic jams in many localities during peakhours,” Linh said.
“Many taxi firms have paid little attention totraining drivers. As a result, many taxis scramble for clients, speed or parkcars in prohibited areas, and have been involved in confrontations with trafficpolice,” he added.
According to him, at least five confrontations betweentaxi drivers and officials occurred last year. The incidents included taxidrivers attempting to run traffic police over and threats made with dangerousitems.
Thousands of cases of traffic violations and collection ofpassengers at unauthorised pick up points were reported.
Linh said thedepartment would stop granting licences for newly-established taxi companies.Enterprises whose licences have expired but have no violations against themwould be re-granted licences to continue business, but those with poor recordsor involved in confrontations with the police would have their licencesrevoked.
The department would conduct regular inspections to insure theimplementation of the decision, Linh said.
Currently, the department wasbuilding a management plan for passenger transportation services provided bytaxis in Hanoi in the 2010-15 period with a vision to 2030, hesaid.
Reports from the department show that Hanoi has 109 taxi firms withmore than 12,100 operational taxis. The capital has the second highest number oftaxis in the country, but ranked first for the number of incidents involvingtaxis./.
