Buses are not only means of public transportation, but also are meant to protect the environment and develop tourism in Hanoi city, according to Nguyen Hoang Hai, director of the Hanoi Urban Transport Management and Operation Center.
Hai said that many transport experts believe that buses are simultaneously offering two solutions to contribute to environmental protection in the capital city.
| Illustrative photo |
Firstly, the more people use buses, the fewer private vehicles run on the road, helping reduce dust and noise pollution, traffic congestion and protect Hanoi’s environment.
Secondly, buses are also headed to meet stricter requirements on emissions and fuel consumption. Vehicles used in the bus network are gradually replaced by vehicles that meet the highest emission standards in the world, such as Euro IV and EuroV.
For instance, in 2018, Hanoi opened two routes of double-decker bus service for tourists. This is a flexible and convenient type of tourist service, combining transportation and sightseeing of the city's outstanding tourist attractions. This contributes to attracting tourists, developing high-quality and unique tourist products, building tourism branding for Hanoi. As researched, many international guests selected visiting the city on double-decker buses and they have been quite excited when visiting Hanoi.
For many years, in order to enhance the capacity of Hanoi's transportation network, the bus network has been invested to offer higher quality and modernity.
Up to now, Hanoi has 124 bus routes with over 1,200 buses. The bus network has covered 30 districts and towns. The total volume of passenger transport in the city is estimated at 948.5 million, meeting about 17.03% of people’s commuting needs, an increase of 3.2 percentage points over 2017.
In 2019, the capital city's public passenger transport has continued to grow, contributing to curbing private vehicles and reducing traffic congestion.
Besides, buses now offer utilities such as free Wifi, system of notification and warning by sound, low floor for the disabled and the elderly.
