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> Overview of the transport in Vietnam

Transportation in Vietnam is improving rapidly in terms of both quantity and quality. Especially 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 Vietnam, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ho Chi Minh City</span> Municipality in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly and still commonly known as Saigon, is the most populous city in Vietnam, with a population of around 9 million in 2019. Situated in the Southeast region of Vietnam, the city surrounds the Saigon River and covers about 2,061 km2 (796 sq mi).

<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 hatchback 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cinema of Vietnam</span>

The cinema of Vietnam originates in the 1920s and has largely been shaped by wars that have been fought in the country from the 1940s to the 1970s. The better known Vietnamese language-films include Cyclo, The Scent of Green Papaya and Vertical Ray of the Sun, all by French-trained Việt Kiều director Tran Anh Hung. In recent years, as Vietnam's film industry has modernized and moved beyond government-backed propaganda films, contemporary Vietnamese filmmakers have gained a wider audience with films such as Buffalo Boy, Bar Girls and The White Silk Dress.

Taxicabs in a single country often share a set of 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">Vehicle registration plates of Vietnam</span> Vietnam vehicle license plates

Vehicle registration plates of Vietnam generally take the form DDL-DDDDD 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 D.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanoi Metro</span> Metro system in Hanoi, Vietnam

The Hanoi Metro is a rapid transit system in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Owned by Vietnam Railways and operated by Hanoi Metro Company (HMC), it is the first operational rapid transit system in Vietnam. The first line opened to service on 6 November 2021.

Joe Ruelle is a Canadian author and blogger writing in Vietnamese.

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

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truong Hai Auto Corporation</span>

Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO),, is an automobile manufacturer in Vietnam. THACO is a member of Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA). The company was founded in 1997 and is considered one of the pioneers of the Vietnamese auto industry. In 2014 the company captured 32% of Vietnam's automobile market. As of 2017, THACO owned the largest automobile production capacity in Vietnam, at 71,000 units per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buses in Hanoi</span> Public transportation in Hanoi

Buses are currently one of the main types of public transport in Hanoi, beside Hanoi Metro, comprising more than 150 routes operated by the state-owned Transerco and several private companies serving the city centre and towns in greater Hanoi as well as connecting Hanoi with neighbouring provinces. Buses in Hanoi are easily recognisable with their red and yellow colours but buses on a number of routes are also painted green, blue and orange. The earliest bus leaves at 4:30 am while the latest bus leaves at 10:30 pm, with service may be lengthened to 11:30 pm on weekends on a number of routes. Most Hanoi buses are equipped with an audio system to announce the next stop. LED panels are installed at a number of bus stops to display live arrivals information.

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

Vingroup Joint Stock Company, is the largest conglomerate of Vietnam, focusing on technology, industry, real estate development, retail, and services ranging from healthcare to hospitality. The company was founded by property developer and entrepreneur Phạm Nhật Vượng in Ukraine in 1993 as Technocom and was originally producing food products.

<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 a 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 CKD kits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VinFast</span> Multinational automotive manufacturer

VinFast LLC is a Vietnamese-founded private automotive company. Established in 2017, it is a member of the conglomerate organization Vingroup, one of the largest private conglomerates in Vietnam that was founded by Phạm Nhật Vượng. It is the first Vietnamese car brand to expand into global markets as well as the first to expand into producing electric vehicles (EV) such as electric cars and electric scooters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Expressways of Vietnam</span> Road network in Vietnam

The Expressway network of Vietnam is a recent addition to the transport network of Vietnam. The first expressways were opened in the early-2000s, by 2020, the expressway network is expected to stretch 1,276 kilometres (793 mi) and plans are for over 7,000 kilometres (4,300 mi) of expressway by 2030.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 vaccination in Vietnam</span> Plan to immunize against COVID-19 in Vietnam

The COVID-19 vaccination in Vietnam is an ongoing immunization campaign against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in response to the ongoing pandemic in the country. Following the approval of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on 30 January 2021, vaccinations commenced on 8 March 2021, and will continue throughout the year with the goal of vaccinating 80% of the population by June 2022. The Sputnik V was later approved for use on 23 March 2021. The Sinopharm BIBP vaccine was approved for emergency use on 4 June 2021, while Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and Janssen COVID-19 vaccine were approved on 12 June 2021, 29 June 2021, and 15 July 2021, respectively. Vietnam approved Abdala vaccine from Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology on 18 September 2021, and Covaxin from Bharat Biotech on 10 November 2021.

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.

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.
  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.
  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".
  17. ↑ https://www.viet-studies.net/kinhte/RiskyTrafficCrashes_April20.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  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.
  20. ↑ "Vietnamese taxi firms announce lower fares as fuel prices plummet". Thanh Nien Daily. February 23, 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. University of California Press. 5 (3): 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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