Double-decker buses might be penalized for illegal stopping in downtown Ho Chi Minh City

According to the center, monitoring has shown that these double-decker buses, which are currently operating on a pilot basis for tourist transport, frequently fail to comply with the road traffic signage system.

Many buses have been found stopping and parking in violation of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, and outside designated bus stops and approved routes, causing traffic disorder and congestion.

The violations are reported to occur regularly at major intersections and in crowded areas, particularly near the Municipal Theater at Dong Khoi-Le Loi Intersection, where buses have stopped to pick up and drop off passengers despite the area not being designated as a bus stop.

Similar violations have been recorded around Ben Thanh Market in Ben Thanh Ward, especially on Phan Chu Trinh Street between Nguyen An Ninh and Le Thanh Ton Streets, where parking is strictly prohibited.

At Cong Xa Paris Square near the Central Post Office in Saigon Ward, stopping and parking are banned, while the section in front of Hoa Binh Elementary School enforces a no-parking rule.

Other affected streets include Le Duan, Ham Nghi, and Tran Hung Dao.

To strengthen traffic safety and maintain urban order, the center has proposed the People’s Committees and police forces of Saigon and Ben Thanh Wards, along with the Ben Thanh traffic police team, intensify patrols and enforcement.

The proposal includes the use of surveillance cameras to impose fines on open-top double-decker buses for illegal stopping and parking.

In addition, the center has urged the city’s Management Center of Public Transport to review cases of non-compliance and reassess criteria for contracting and operating open-top bus routes in 2026, in line with directives from the municipal Department of Construction.