Futa Bus Lines to take over operations for 5 failing bus routes in Da Nang

Vietnamese transport service operator Futa Bus Lines has won a bid to take over the operations of five failing bus routes in Da Nang, namely the 05, 07, 08, 11, 12 routes.

Futas Bus Lines on Wednesday signed a contract with Da Nang Traffic Lights and Public Transport Management Center (DATRAMAC), under the municipal transport department, to operate these five subsidized public bus routes until 2027.

The previous operator of these routes is Quang An 1 JSC.

Ho Nguyen Quoc Cuong, deputy director at DATRAMAC, said that these bus lines will resume operations next month.

The city’s transport department has made thorough preparations for the resumption of bus services on the routes.

Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, these five lines served more than three million passengers in 2019.

The impact of the pandemic, the post-pandemic travel habits of local residents, and the weakening financial capability of public bus operators have resulted in unstable operations of bus services, Cuong elaborated.

Earlier this month, the bus system in coastal Da Nang was suspended as drivers and driving assistants went on a strike to demand unpaid salaries.

Da Nang launched public bus services in late 2016, with Quang An 1 JSC winning a bid to operate all of the city’s public subsidized bus routes.

Currently, 11 bus routes are subsidized by the municipal government. Six others are operated by Quang An 1 Company.

Speaking at a recent meeting on bus subsidies, Luong Minh Triet, chairman of the municipal People’s Council, asked the transport department to learn from its previous experience and avoid letting all bus routes be operated by a sole investor.

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