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The fear of parking among students and the roads packed with lines of motorbikes and bikes will still remain unless public transportation is widely used at Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) 

Overloaded parking lots

Vietnam is one of the countries which have the most motorbikes in the world, so traffic congestion is common during peak hours in the big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. In the past few years, the demands of students for using personal vehicles such as motorbikes and electric bicycles have risen in Hanoi in general, and at VNU in particular. These demands unintentionally led to the heavily overloaded parking lots.

Approximately 5000 personal vehicles, mostly motorcycles, have been recorded within VNU’s parking space during a weekday. This figure can grow at the beginning or middle of the school year when a huge number of classes take place. The parking lots, hence, have become overloaded, making it difficult for students to park their motorcycles or bicycles, which can affect their class time. Meanwhile, many students who can not find a parking space decide to park their vehicles outside buildings or along the road. In other words, private vehicles occupy part of the roadway. This, therefore, not only triggers traffic congestion, but also spoils VNU campus’ image and view.

Bus vs personal vehicles

Each year, University of Languages and International studies alone welcomes nearly 1600 new students. In addition to the increase in the number of students enrolling at colleges, the demands of VNU students’ personal vehicles have also increased, causing the lack of parking spaces. Therefore, VNU does not have inadequate facilities to meet student demands.

Nowadays, the students mainly choose private vehicles such as motorbikes, electric bicycles because they can go to school or go to work actively and conveniently. Furthermore, some people suppose that travelling by bus is time-consuming and inconvenient. Thus, the need to use public transport is getting less, and people have gradually forgotten the huge benefits of using public transport, namely bus.

An actionable change

Suggested by many students and lecturers in VNU, bus can be an effective long-term answer to this issue. According to Mr. Nguyen Hoang Giang, the secretary at HoChiMinh Communist Youth Union of University of Languages and International Studies, in order to reduce the number of private vehicles, students should be encouraged to use buses to school. Plus, the bus is also instrumental in protecting the environment and people’s safety. It is the time to think about this positive change, the benefits derived from public transportation and to take action. 

1. BUS TICKET PRICE
Ticket price: 7,000 – 8,000 VNĐ/ ticket, depending on the route
Monthly ticket price
Priority: 55,000 VNĐ. No priority: 100,000 VNĐ
Buses are used for monthly tickets: All subsidized buses in Hanoi (ticket prices 7,000 – 8,000 VNĐ) can be used for monthly tickets, including BRT01 or fuel buses. clean CNG01, CNG02, CNG03 (From line 01 to 65, 74)
 
2. SIGN UP FOR MONTH TICKETS
For students: 1 registration form for bus monthly ticket with 02 photos 3×4 with the school’s stamp; 1 photo student card. Apply at the monthly ticketing points in the city. Details for monthly tickets and ticketing points, please visit: http://transerco.vn/Default.aspx?pageid=338
 
Step 1: To make a monthly ticket, the first thing you need to do is get an application form. You can go to the nearest bus registration and stamp points to apply for a monthly ticket registration form or download online at http://timbus.vn/Ticket/Default.aspx
Step 2: Submit registration documents, including: Registration form with 02 3x4cm photos; with the school’s stamp of certification, a photocopy with the original Student ID card.