Taxis of Vietnam

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Taxis in Vietnam are part of a complex transportation and economic system within the country. Taxicabs are one facet of a diverse 'vehicle for hire' ecosystem in Vietnam.

Contents

History

1880-1940: Introduction of Vehicles for Hire

Xich lo Xich lo Saigon55.jpg
Xích lô

H. Hazel Hanh, in their 2013 "Journal of Vietnam Studies" article, described the introduction of the rickshaw (xe-kéo, or "pulling vehicle") from Japan to Vietnam in 1883. In its early years, its main customer base was among European colonizers within then-French Indochina, with a small number of French firms holding a quasi-monopoly on both manufacturing and circulation. After the proliferation of public cycle rickshaws (xích lô, from cyclo) and rampant rickshaw taxes forced reform and regulation in the 1910s, Vietnamese residents became a more significant portion of the customer base and began to regularly use the vehicle-for-hire service for daily urban life. [1]

1950-1990: Xe ôm and Xe Lam

With an increasing presence of American citizens and their imported motorbikes in the 1960s, the demand rose for motorbikes comfortable enough for two, [2] especially Italian and Japanese models. [3] The increasing availability of these vehicles and the demand for more nimble vehicles for hire led to the Xe ôm motorcycle taxi services ('hug car, referring to the passenger holding onto the driver). [2]

In the late 1970s, the auto rickshaw became more popular vehicles for hire to transport customers and goods, including the xe lam (also known as "Lambro" from the original manufacturer's name, a three wheeler with the driver at front), the xe loi (a motorbike with an open trailer attached), and the xe ba gác (lit. 'motor tricycle'; a three wheel with the driver at back). However, the vehicles and their drivers were heavily regulated at the turn of the century with the vehicles becoming outright banned by 2008. [4]

1990-Present: The Rise of Four Wheels

In an effort towards localization of auto manufacturing in the 1990s, a slew of joint ventures with foreign manufacturers allowed for the modern assembly of four-wheel automobiles in Vietnam, significantly lowering the dependency on imports and subsequently lowering the prices of cars. [5] With significant infrastructure development in the 2000s, [6] motorbikes banned from expressways, [7] and the xich lo becoming banned from most streets of Vietnam's major cities, [8] taxicab services became viable. Air-conditioned, metered taxicabs were a contrast to the lower priced, but informal services offered by the xe om motorbike and the xích lô rickshaw taxi drivers, and the burgeoning middle class of Vietnam was looking to use its disposable income [9] While riding a taxi was once an elusive a status symbol for many, car ownership has become an increasingly attainable status symbol for others. [10]

With Urban Rail Transit projects being continuously delayed in the cities, [11] residents continue to access an array of transportation options, including buses, private vehicles, taxicabs, motorbike taxis [12]

Economy

Toyota Limo in Hanoi, a model designed for taxicab use in Southeast Asian markets Toyota Limo, Taxi in Hanoi.jpg
Toyota Limo in Hanoi, a model designed for taxicab use in Southeast Asian markets

Market share

Taxicab companies and independent cab drivers operate side by side. Mailinh, Hanoi, and Vinasun are among the biggest taxi companies. [13] FastGo is Vietnam's first car-hailing app, [14] though it is joined by Mailinh's native app, Grab (which took over Uber's operations after the company's exit from the region in 2018 [15] [16] ) among a growing number of apps.

In Hanoi alone, it was calculated in 2018 that there were 26,350 taxicabs in collectively accounting for 14% of the rides taken (with buses accounting for 8.5% and private cars for 8%). [12]

App-based motorcycle taxi services have also become available, [17] but have not proven to stabilize the financial position of the drivers. [18]

Price and regulation

Taxi companies that refuse to adjust fares to market circumstances, such as drops in the price of fuel, have been cautioned with fined by authorities. [19] [20] In 2019, Vietnam was listed as one of ten countries with the cheapest taxi fares. [21]

Vinasun and Grabcar have been involved in legal disputes on whether ride sharing apps should be regulated as taxi companies as well as technology companies. [22] In 2020, a policy was announced that cars providing paid rides, regardless if app-based or not, would have to switched to yellow license plate to declare their status as a 'commissioned' car. [23]

In media, taxi driver characters have been used to capture Vietnam's cultural changes, often as a remark on economic disparities between rider and driver. [24] In the 1995 film Cyclo , Lê Văn Lộc stars as the cyclo rickshaw driver protagonist. [25] In the 1999 film Three Seasons stars Don Duong as the cyclo rickshaw driver protagonist. [26] The 2004 song Taxi by Vietnamese pop group H.A.T. includes them singing to a taxi driver. [27] The 2009 film Adrift includes Nguyen Duy Khoa as a taxi driver main character. [28] The 2016 film Taxi, What's Your Name stars Angela Phuong Trinh as the taxicab driver protagonist and Truong Giang as her passenger. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Vietnam</span>

Transportation in Vietnam is improving rapidly in terms of both quantity and quality. Road traffic is growing rapidly but the major roads are dangerous and slow to travel on due to outdated design and an inappropriate traffic mix. In recent years, the construction of expressways has accelerated. Air travel is also important for long-distance travel. Metro systems are under construction in the two metropolises of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ho Chi Minh City</span> Largest municipality in Vietnam, previously named Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the most populous city in Vietnam, with a population of around 10 million in 2023. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigon River. As a municipality, Ho Chi Minh City consists of 16 urban districts, five rural districts, and one municipal city (sub-city). As the largest financial centre in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the highest gross regional domestic product out of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities, contributing around a quarter of the country's total GDP. Ho Chi Minh City's metropolitan area is ASEAN's 6th largest economy, also the biggest outside an ASEAN country capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cycle rickshaw</span> Pedal-powered version of the rickshaw

The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport. It is a type of tricycle designed to carry passengers on a for-hire basis. It is also known by a variety of other names such as bike taxi, velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, cyclo, beca, becak, trisikad, sikad, tricycle taxi, trishaw, or hatchback bike.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vehicle for hire</span> Vehicle providing transport for a fee

A vehicle for hire is a vehicle providing private transport or shared transport for a fee, in which passengers are generally free to choose their points or approximate points of origin and destination, unlike public transport, and which they do not drive themselves, as in car rental and carsharing. They may be offered via a ridesharing company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorcycle taxi</span> Form of transport

A motorcycle taxi, or cart bike or bike taxi, is a licensed form of transport in some countries. The taxi typically carries one passenger, who "rides pillion" behind the motorcycle operator. Multiple passengers are common in some countries.

Taxicabs within a country often share common properties, but there is a wide variation from country to country in the vehicles used, the circumstances under which they may be hired and the regulatory regime to which these are subject.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxi</span> Type of vehicle for hire with a driver

A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice. This differs from public transport where the pick-up and drop-off locations are decided by the service provider, not by the customers, although demand responsive transport and share taxis provide a hybrid bus/taxi mode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxis of India</span>

Cars such as Toyota Etios, Maruti Omni, Mahindra Logan, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Indica and Tata Indigo are fairly popular among taxicab operators. The livery of the taxicabs in India varies from state to state. In Delhi and Maharashtra, most taxicabs have yellow-black livery, while in West Bengal, taxis have yellow livery. Private taxicab operators are not required to have a specific livery. However, they are required by law to be registered as commercial vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vehicle registration plates of Vietnam</span> Vietnam vehicle license plates

Vehicle registration plates of Vietnam generally take the form DDL-DDD.DD for vehicles. Standard license plates have black characters on white background. Front plates measure 47 × 11 cm, rear ones are 27 × 20. In 2020 and 2021, both plates measure 6 x 12. The current scheme for civilian vehicles omits the letters I, J, O, Q and W, with the letter R reserved for trailers, and includes the Vietnamese character Đ.

Crime is present in various forms in Vietnam. According to the United States 2016 OSAC Crime report, Hanoi is rated as medium in Overall Crime and Safety Situation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Như Quỳnh (actress)</span> Vietnamese actress

Nguyễn Như Quỳnh known as Như Quỳnh, is a Vietnamese actress and People's Artist (NSND). She is also known as an amateur poet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grab Holdings</span> Singaporean technology company

Grab Holdings Inc. is a Singaporean multinational technology company headquartered in One-North, Singapore. It is the developer of a super-app for ride-hailing, food delivery, and digital payment services on mobile devices that operates in Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian International School Vietnam</span> School in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh Metropolitan City

Canadian International School Vietnam is a private international school based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The school belongs to The Canadian International School System (CISS), along with three other campuses: the Bilingual Canadian International School (BCIS), Albert Einstein School (AES) and Canada – Vietnam Kindergarten (CVK).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vingroup</span> Vietnamese conglomerate founded in 1993

Vingroup JSC is a Vietnamese conglomerate headquartered in Long Bien district, Hanoi. Vingroup is one of the largest conglomerates of Vietnam, focusing on technology, industry, real estate development, retail and services from healthcare to hospitality. As of 2022, the revenue of Vingroup and its subsidiaries was almost 1.1% of the GDP of Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automotive industry in Vietnam</span>

The automotive industry in Vietnam is a fast-growing sector mainly reliant on domestic sales. All currently produced models are designed abroad by foreign brands, and many rely on knock-down kit production. Due to high import taxes on automobiles, the Vietnamese government protects domestic manufacturing. Although Vietnam is a member of the ASEAN Free Trade Area, automobile imports fall under an exception. Since January 1, 2018, the 30% import tax has been discontinued as part of ASEAN agreements. Currently, the Vietnamese motor industry is not deemed competitive enough to make exports feasible. As of April 2018, 85% of car sales in Vietnam were produced domestically from knock-down kits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VinFast</span> Vietnamese automotive company

VinFast Auto Ltd. is a Vietnam-based multinational automotive company founded by Vingroup, one of the largest private conglomerates in Vietnam that was founded by Pham Nhat Vuong.

Motorcycles, scooters, and mopeds are synonymous in Vietnam. The motorcycle industry in Vietnam has been boosted in the 1990s due largely to foreign investment. Currently, Vietnam is considered the center of the motorcycle industry in Asia, with average annual sales of motorcycles in Vietnam reach 3 million units. The key players in the motorcycle industry include foreign brands: Honda, Yamaha, Piaggio, Suzuki, and SYM, and local producers of e-motorbikes: VinFast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plug-in electric vehicles in Vietnam</span>

The manufacture and adoption of electric vehicles have been given preferential treatment by the Vietnamese government in order to reduce vehicle emission pollution. From March 1, 2022, battery powered cars will be exempt from registration fees for 3 years, along with subject to reduced excise taxes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xã Xệ and Lý Toét</span> Vietnamese satirical characters

Xã Xệ and Lý Toét are a satirical duo which became popular fiction characters in sketches published as caricatures through the columns of the modernist Vietnamese newspapers in Tonkin from the 1930s to the 1940s. Their influence went beyond the simple cartoon as they became archetypes of the transformations that Vietnam was going through, so much so that Lý Toét could be considered an "important figure in the urban world of 1930s Vietnam."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xanh SM</span> Vietnamese taxi company

Green and Smart Mobility JSC, operating as Xanh SM, is a taxi and ridesharing company in Vietnam. This company operates in two main fields: electric taxis and rental of electric cars and motorcycles from VinFast, with an investment scale of 10,000 cars and 100,000 motorcycles. It is the first all-electric taxi company in Vietnam.

References

  1. ↑ Hahn, H. Hazel (2013-11-01). "The Rickshaw Trade in Colonial Vietnam, 1883–1940". Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 8 (4): 47–85. doi:10.1525/vs.2014.8.4.47. ISSN   1559-372X.
  2. 1 2 "The fascinating history of 'xe om' motorbike taxis in Saigon". Thanh Nien Daily. February 19, 2016. Archived from the original on February 21, 2016.
  3. ↑ Guide, City Pass. "City Pass Guide". From Mobylettes to Hondas: The History of Motorcycles in Vietnam.
  4. ↑ "Hanoi wants to bring back tuk-tuks after eliminating them". Thanh Nien Daily. September 14, 2012. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Working Paper Series Industrial Policy as Determinant of Localization: The Case of Vietnamese Automobile Industry". 2008. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.627.6560 .
  6. ↑ Giang Dang; Low Sui Pheng (18 October 2014). Infrastructure Investments in Developing Economies: The Case of Vietnam. Springer. p. 109. ISBN   978-981-287-248-7.
  7. ↑ "Motorbikes entering expressways in Vietnam could be confiscated". Tuoi Tre News. 27 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Theo Hiệp Bình Công an nhân dân (November 29, 2019). "Hà Nội sẽ cấm xích lô, dừng hoạt động xe ba bánh". Tin tức 24h (in Vietnamese). Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Middle-class Vietnamese: Who are they? - News VietNamNet".
  10. ↑ "Will the public use metro systems in Vietnam when they're ready to depart?". VnExpress International – Latest news, business, travel and analysis from Vietnam. November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Vietnam urban rail projects fall years late as payments lag - Nikkei Asia". Nikkei Asia. October 6, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  12. 1 2 Thai, Huy Truong; Rementsov, Andrey; Nguyen, Khac Minh; Le, Anhtuan (2020). "Taxi transport characteristics in Vietnam". IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 832 (1): 012070. Bibcode:2020MS&E..832a2070T. doi: 10.1088/1757-899x/832/1/012070 . S2CID   225737741.
  13. ↑ "Connecting Asia's startup ecosystem". Tech in Asia. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Vietnam's first car-hailing app FastGo heads overseas". Nikkei Asia.
  15. ↑ Keeton-Olsen, Danielle. "Grab Officially Takes Control Of Uber's Southeast Asia Operations". Forbes.
  16. ↑ "How to use Grab (taxi app) in Vietnam + alternatives | localvietnam". 10 August 2019.
  17. ↑ Nguyen-Phuoc, Duy Quy; De Gruyter, Chris; Nguyen, Ha Anh; Nguyen, Teron; Ngoc Su, Diep. "Risky behaviours associated with traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers in Vietnam" (PDF). www.viet-studies.net.
  18. ↑ "Conventionally or tech-based, Vietnamese motorbike taxi drivers scoot around for meager living". Tuoi Tre News. December 22, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Ho Chi Minh City taxi firms cut prices slightly". Thanh Nien Daily. January 12, 2016. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Vietnamese taxi firms announce lower fares as fuel prices plummet". Thanh Nien Daily. February 23, 2016. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016.
  21. ↑ Quy, Nguyen (August 12, 2019). "Vietnam taxi fares among cheapest in the world". VnExpress International – Latest news, business, travel and analysis from Vietnam. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Grab appeals Vietnamese court ruling in taxi company dispute". Reuters. January 12, 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
  23. ↑ Sơn, Thái (July 8, 2020). "Grab, Be, FastGo, taxi, xe tải… sẽ dùng biển số màu vàng". Báo Thanh Niên (in Vietnamese). Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  24. ↑ Barnes, Leslie (2010). "Cinema as Cultural Translation: The Production of Vietnam in Trẩn Anh Hùùng's Cyclo". Journal of Vietnamese Studies. 5 (3). University of California Press: 106–128. doi:10.1525/vs.2010.5.3.106. ISSN   1559-372X.
  25. ↑ "Movie Reviews". The New York Times. October 12, 1995. Archived from the original on 2014-09-10. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  26. ↑ Ebert, Roger (May 28, 1999). "Three Seasons movie review & film summary (1999)". rogerebert.com/. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Taxi Loi bai hat - H.A.T". 11 October 2018.
  28. ↑ "Adrift - Choi voi". Toronto International Film Festival official website. Archived from the original on 16 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  29. ↑ "'Taxi, em tên gì?' thu 21 tỷ đồng sau 5 ngày công chiếu". ZingNews.vn (in Vietnamese). March 9, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
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