In the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first half of 2020, Hanoi provided over 330,000 free bus passes for the elderly and the poor in the city, the Government Portal reported.

Hanoi issues over 330,000 free bus travel passes. Photo: Internet

A representative from the Hanoi Urban Transport Management and Operation Center (TRAMOC) said that with this policy, the number of free pass riders has increased by 82 times, without giving a time frame.

However, the number of monthly passes sold in the fourth quarter of 2019 fell by nearly 15%, leading to a revenue drop of over 10%.

Besides, during the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, the operation of the city's bus network was suspended for more than a month, thus the output and revenue decreased in the first six months respectively by more than 29% and over 42%.

Nevertheless, the Hanoi People's Committee and the municipal Department of Transport have timely found solutions to remove difficulties for businesses in order for them to maintain stable operation of the bus network.

Specifically, the municipal government has asked the center to sign contracts and make upfront payment to bus operators. Currently, operators of 104 subsidized bus routes have signed contracted and got paid on time.

The TRAMOC has coordinated with businesses to conduct a comprehensive survey on ridership, people who are entitled to a free pass. Then, the authorities will adjust the plan of output, revenue, subsidies for 2020. The survey is expected to be completed in September 2020 and reported to the city's government.