Eastern Transport Station’s plan for 2018 Western New Year and Tet transport
As directed by the HCM City Department of Transport and Saigon Transportation Mechanical Corporation in the task of serving passengers during 2018 Western New Year and Lunar New Year periods, the Eastern Coach Station Single-Member Company, Ltd has worked out a plan for Tet transport with the following:
1.1. For Western New Year 2018
Since New Year’s Day 2018 fell on Monday, preceded by Saturday and Sunday, employees had three consecutive days’ holiday from 30 December 2017 to 01 January 2018 inclusive. Therefore, the passenger traffic was forecast to increase but not drastically on some routes from Quang Ngai Province downwards to southern provinces and the Central Highlands region…
With the above forecast, the mobilization of coaches from other routes and preparation of some other tasks (issuance of transport orders and badges for mobilized coaches) will meet travel demand of passengers during the Western New Year period.
1.2. For Lunar New Year 2018
The transport intensified for the Tet period will last 20 days (10 days before Tet and 10 days after Tet), from 21st day of 12th lunar month to 10th day of 1st lunar month inclusive (from February 6, 2018 to February 25, 2018 inclusive). Particularly for northern, central provinces, and Central Highlands region, this year’s stretched transport will start earlier, on 12th day of 12th lunar month (January 28, 2018).
According to 2018 Tet holiday regulations, employees are allowed a Tet holiday starting on 29th day of 12th lunar month (February 14, 2018). But as a matter of routine, Vietnamese people tend to return to their provincial homes for family reunion for Tet. The Eastern Coach Station has forecast employees may choose to start their Tet holiday earlier and so passenger traffic will increase dramatically on 25th, 26th, and 27th days of 12th lunar month.
Therefore, the number of passengers travelling from the Eastern Coach Station during the 2018 Tet period may increase by 2% over the same period last year. The coach station will be crowded with passengers mainly from the 22nd to 28th days of the last lunar month.
As an annual routine, one or two coaches are intended to transport, even at Tet Eve, possible last passengers of the year. The Eastern Coach Station will reward the employees catering for passengers on the last two vehicle trips, exempt them from all terminal entry and exit fees and allow them ticket sale commissions. At the same time, gifts are given to passengers going on the two above-mentioned vehicle trips.
In addition, the routes to the provinces of Lam Dong, Quang Nam, Nha Trang, Mui Ne, Vung Tau, Buon Ma Thuot, and Binh Dinh also have large numbers of passengers; but most of them choose to take “unlicensed coaches” parking in districts 1, 5, 10, Tan Phu, Tan Binh, and parking lots 391 & 397 on Dinh Bo Linh, Binh Thanh District to pick up passengers.
Written by Le Huu Phu
Translated by Tran Canh Trong
