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Bus firms ponder fare increases as petrol price rises
The recent VND800 hike in the price of petrol is set to have a knock-on effect on the prices of other services, with several transport companies planning to put up prices.
"Bus operators will announce new fares on many routes," said Nguyen Ngoc Thua, director of HCM City’s Eastern Bus Station.
"For instance, the fare from HCM City to Da Lat will increase by VND20,000 to VND120,000."
Taxi operators are considering rate increases, according to Vo Ba, general director of the HCM City-based Future Taxi Company. But he warned they had to be done carefully to ensure that while businesses benefit, consumers are not affected too badly.
Nguyen Manh Hung, chairman of the Viet Nam Automobile Association, said transport businesses were planning to hike charges by 20 per cent early next year when minimum wages and automobile registration charges are set to rise.
But it is harder for some business to hike rates than others. "Cargo carriers saw a fall in business this year and had to lower costs to compete," said Nguyen Ngoc Lu, chairman of the HCM City Cargo Transport Association, "so it is harder for them at a time of petrol price hikes."
He is worried some of them would make up for their operational losses by reducing spending on vehicle maintenance, thus affecting safety, he added.
Dao Ngoc Binh, director of Hoang Thach Cement Company, said his company had been hit very hard since both coal and petrol prices had risen at the same time.
VIETNAMNEWS
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