According to a draft decree on administrative sanctions in road transport, the Ministry of Construction proposes increasing fines for taxi-related violations. Specifically, taxi drivers operating vehicles without meters (for vehicles requiring meters), or with malfunctioning or unused meters, or those who fail to use fare calculation software (for vehicles requiring software) or use substandard software, will face a 200,000 VND increase in fines compared to the current regulations under Decree 100/2019.
Transportation companies and individual taxi service providers will also be fined if they operate taxis without meters (for vehicles requiring meters), install faulty meters, lack receipt printers connected to the meters, possess non-functional printers, or issue receipts lacking complete information.
 |
Taxis operating on the streets of Hanoi. Photo: Giang Huy |
Taxis operating on the streets of Hanoi. Photo: Giang Huy
The proposed fine for these violations is 8-10 million VND for individuals and 16-20 million VND for transport businesses, up from the current 5-6 million and 10-12 million VND, respectively.
The drafting committee stated that the increased fines aim to deter overcharging by taxi drivers and businesses, fostering a healthier transport business environment.
Recently, overcharging of tourists by taxi drivers has become a problem in major cities. On 30/6, a group of tourists from the Philippines were charged nearly 1.4 million VND for a trip of less than one kilometer by a Hanoi taxi driver. The driver took a circuitous route, avoiding a direct path to their destination, and didn't use the meter.
On 13/6, Giang Ho, 25, from Lao Cai province, and his relatives took a taxi to the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway to catch a bus back to their hometown. They were charged 4.2 million VND by driver Thai Ngoc Anh for a trip of approximately 30 km.
Doan Loan
