Unscrupulous Taxi Operations in Bac Ninh: A Call for Stern Action

The Bac Ninh Provincial Traffic Safety Committee has conducted inspections on several roads in Bac Ninh City, including Ly Thai To, Ngoc Han Cong Chu, Le Thai To, and Hoang Hoa Tham. They observed that alongside official taxis, there were dozens of illegal taxis brazenly stopping to pick up passengers on both sides of the road.

Near hotels, commercial centers, restaurants, and hospitals, these illegal taxis thrive. They are characterized by having taxi signs but with white license plates instead of the regulated yellow ones for transport businesses. They also do not display any logos or emblems of transport companies.

According to drivers of these illegal taxis, they primarily bought their vehicles for family use during long-distance travels. However, when they don’t have personal affairs, they operate in the central areas of Bac Ninh City to pick up passengers. These drivers claim that their service is no different from official taxi companies and is even cheaper because they don’t pay taxes or fees.

Nevertheless, these illegal taxis still have electronic meters to calculate fares. Compared to official taxis on the same nearly 5-kilometer route, passengers end up paying about 20,000 VND more to these illegal taxis.

According to the Bac Ninh Provincial Traffic Safety Committee leadership, these illegal taxi operations do not meet the legal requirements for passenger transportation. They are not supervised by the Department of Transport, and they evade state taxes. Due to the lack of regulation, these illegal taxis operate freely, leading to issues such as uncontrolled fares, overcharging, and drivers with potential health issues.

Meanwhile, the regulations for the taxi industry are stringent. For instance, taxis have a 12-year lifespan from the production date, and they must be equipped with monitoring devices to track their operational capacity. Drivers are required to undergo periodic health check-ups and must not have any social illnesses. Additionally, the competition for passengers between official taxis and illegal taxis creates disorder and poses risks to traffic safety.

In the past, interdisciplinary forces from Bac Ninh Province and local authorities have launched campaigns to penalize transport vehicles operating outside the regulations, but the issue has not been eradicated.

According to Decree No. 100/2019/ND-CP, operating an illegal taxi can result in a fine of up to 12 million VND, along with supplementary penalties such as license revocation, depending on the severity of the violation. While the penalties are substantial, vehicle owners still intentionally violate the rules and employ various tactics to avoid punishment, such as removing the taxi sign while driving, claiming passengers are relatives, and not charging passengers.

To enhance traffic safety in the province, especially during the peak month of September, the Bac Ninh Provincial Traffic Safety Committee has requested the Department of Transport to direct the Transport Inspectorate to collaborate with the Traffic Police and local authorities. They aim to increase inspections and strictly handle vehicles that pick up and drop off passengers in unauthorized areas and those that violate parking regulations. The committee is determined to put an end to illegal transport operations.