In middle of May, Daily Co., Ltd has submitted again to HCM City Department of Transportation & Traffic the project proposal of building public passenger transport by waterway (river bus for short).

River bus is still existing "empty areas" in HCMC. Photo: Cao Thang

Abundant potential

Natural geographic conditions, the rivers in the city can be seen as gifts of nature for transport public passenger by waterway because the natural channels are very convenient from center of city to four directions by waterway.

The eastern is Saigon river stretches vertically & links with Dong Nai River to come Bien Hoa, Tri An; the western is Te channel axis – Doi canal links with Dem Market river - Ben Luc through Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay river crossing Dong Thap Muoi and then to come Mekong Delta provinces; the northern is Saigon river, Thay Cai canal, Tra canal, Xang canal - An Ha through Cu Chi area and then through Vam Co Dong rier in the north; the southern is Te canal – Ong Lon canal – Cay Kho canal – Ba Lao canal – Can Giuoc river – Nuoc Man channel through the Cho Gao linking Tien River to the western or along Nha Be river linking with Long Tau river or Soai Rap to East Sea, international trade.

In terms of transportation, system of waterway in HCM City area is divided into 3 groups: group of rivers and canals of the internal city, the group of districts and inter-provincial group to the Western and the Southeast. The city government has planned to develop urban river routes in the future. That is belt route which is a standard of level 4, about 60km in length with outline route of Saigon River - Ben Cat canal – Cho Moi canal – Nuoc Len canal – Doi channel - Te channel - Saigon River.

The route of belt 2 will also follow the Saigon River - Tra canal – Xang channel - An Ha canal - Cho Dem river - Doi channel - Te channel - Saigon river nearly 100 km length and 4 grade standard. So far, only inter-provincial transport routes are being exploited, but stop at the transport of goods; while the other waterway potential still hasn’t yet exploited or merely serve ... drainage.

Still …just report

Under calculation of experts on transport, if Ho Chi Minh City builds successfully route of public transport by waterways and attracting people to use river bus transport instead of private vehicles, this will help save approximately US$ 1.5 million/ day for the city (due to traffic jam). Until this moment, besides the advantages have just mentioned, all things virtually relates to deployment & building public transport route by waterway is located just above ... report!

The difficult problem is perhaps new river bus model. Thus, infrastructure services for this type of this public transport by waterway mostly "empty area", and any investors who want to invest this project, it would also require settlement process infrastructure. That is to build some major terminals, transfer stations located along the route like station model of road bus.

That is the demand to invest vehicles, passenger ships must comply with specific conditions and waterway conditions in the city as well as have to the flexibility to meet operation during rush hours and low rush hours.

Experts estimate that investment in river bus, investors need “available” at least VND50-70 billion if doing exploration & trial and need more than if expanding because only a small wharf also needs approximately VND1 billion to build. Huge investment capital will need to ensure return funds safely, a reasonable fare to passengers also satisfactory to investors, a potential problem in conflict of benefit between users and suppliers service.

Not to mention the requirement to "demolish" the habit using personal vehicles long of the urban residents before talking to “entice” them to the river bus (according to experience "blood" of the road bus).

On the macroscopic, river bus is one of trends of indispensable development, especially big city like Ho Chi Minh City not only limited in road traffic. To have investor & potential, the problem is how to make all sides satisfactory.

Thiện Nhân

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