At the working session,
the two sides have clearly exchanges opinions, ideas relating to the Project
for Enhancing Management Capacity of Transport System focused on Public
Transport in Binh Duong province. The Project was carried out from April 2015
to August 2018. The overall goal is to enhance public transport system in the
province with the project purpose of strengthen the institutional capacity of
policy development and implementation on the public transport system
development of Binh Duong province.
Several outputs of the above
mentioned Project have been clearly identified during the meeting. The first
achievement of the project is that Binh Duong DOT has gradually improved the
bus system, with good design of bus network, appropriate operation plan, improved
operation management and planning fleet investment. The second output concerns
the Bus Pilot Projects. Binh Duong has introduced punctual bus operation with
time table along the pilot project bus routes; introduced IC-Card System on
pilot project bus routes as well as monitored attitude of bus drivers and
conductors toward passengers (yet manual for bus driver was made to improve
service to passengers). During the
project, mobility management activities have been carried out. Mobility
Management workshops for admin, university students, residents, officers,
elementary school children in Binh Duong New city were successfully conducted.
And finally, with the Park & Ride Pilot Project, 3 locations of Park &
Ride have been implemented at (1) Becamex Tower, (2) at Phu Loi – Le Thi Trung,
and (3) at Provincial Library to make it more convenient for bus users.
Becamex Tower Park & Ride for bus users
The DOT confirmed that
through the project activities, DOT and relevant agencies have improved their knowledge
on: bus network improvement, development of bus timetable, bus IC card system,
planning and operation of Park and Ride, and mobility management. Furthermore,
based on the suggestions from the project, “Bus Service Improvement Plan 2018-2020
period” was developed but DOT and approved in July 2018 by Binh Duong
Provincial People’s Committee. The above plan includes all knowledge learned
from JICA projects to improve the bus service, including investment in
technical infrastructure for public transport such as installation of bus
stops, paint marking and information signs, supporting local bus company with
soft loans for investment in bus vehicles, subsidy for monthly commuting pass
for passengers, subsidy for parking fee at terminal, subsidy for bus operation
on 3 new bus routes, etc. The DOT will continue to implement pilot project to other
local wards in Binh Duong province to encourage people to join buses in the
future.
Knowing that the
Project has been successfully implemented in Binh Duong province, and
specifically for the Kaze Bus (Becamex Tokyu Bus), there is a light increasing
of bus users due to its good service and convenient, Mr. Tomoaki Kanazawa
expressed his congratulation for the project and confirmed that the Japan’s
side, including Japan International Cooperation Agency Vietnam Office will
continue to support these projects for enhancing public transport in Binh Duong
province in the time to come, especially the “Bus Service Improvement Plan 2018-2020
period”. Right after the working session, the Delegation has taken the Kaze bus
to experience the service provided by Becamex Tokyu Bus.