In Vietnam, passenger bus driver, owner fined $2,175 for overloading

The violation was discovered at noon on Sunday after the department received a public tip-off regarding a long-haul bus operated by D.L. Transport Company.

The bus was running on the Thanh Hoa – Hanoi route.

Traffic police officers stopped the vehicle on the Phap Van – Cao Bo – Mai Son – National Highway 45 Expressway for inspection at around 12:00 pm on the same day.

They found the bus was carrying 49 people, exceeding the permitted capacity by 23 passengers.

The driver, identified as L.V.D., a 38-year-old resident of Thanh Hoa Province, was booked for operating a vehicle with more passengers than legally allowed.

Meanwhile, D.L. Transport Company, as the vehicle owner, was also penalized for allowing its employee to commit the offense.

As per Decree 168/2024, which came into effect on January 1, 2025, the driver received a fine of VND11.5 million ($435), while the company was fined VND46 million ($1,740).

The Traffic Police Department urged all drivers to strictly comply with road safety and traffic regulations to ensure the safety of passengers and the community.