Final Report - Asian Development Bank

Asian Development Bank TA7343 Ho Chi Minh City MRT Line 2 Project
MVA Asia Ltd Final Report – November 2010
Policy reform to restrict vehicle use and make access to bus routes safer and more
convenient (improved pedestrian links to bus stops and interchanges).
Marketing and availability of bus information (timetables, routes etc)
One authority to govern the operation and management of the bus network
Increased bus fleet that is modern, fuel efficient and accessible
Improved franchising and tendering procedures – change to gross cost
Driver training and availability of information to passengers
4.4.9 Currently bus contracts are of net cost and subsidy which means that the operator keeps fare
revenue. It may be necessary in the future to move to a more flexible system such as formal
gross cost as recommended by ADB/ PPIAF (2008). Payment for services on the basis of
distance operated plus an incentive to increase patronage levels could stimulate operators to
be both willing to change routes and coordinate with say MRT and operate higher quality
services. This is reflected in the UoT report and the DoT.
Long Term Bus Development post MRT
4.4.10 The introduction of an MRT system in HCMC will provide the backbone for public transport in
the city in the future and this means that the whole bus network will need to be reviewed for
its suitability to integrate with the MRT. Restructuring of routes and fares will be required to
serve the MRT network rather than compete with it.
4.4.11 Bus restructuring and the implementation of feeder bus routes will be vital to achieving the
public transport mode share targets and to attract passengers to the MRT. The passenger
forecast model for MRT Line 2 suggests that MRT ridership could be reduced by up to 38% if
buses are allowed to compete with the MRT rather than feed to it.
4.4.12 It is roughly estimated that up to 20,000 buses will be required with approximately 500 routes
in the year 2025 to cater for around 10 – 15 million bus passenger trips per day. This broadly
corresponds to the existing situation in Bangkok where there is 40% bus mode share and a
current fleet of around 16,000 serving approximately 8 million passengers.
4.4.13 Feeder buses to stations along the MRT Line are beneficial because:
Buses can provide a link between origin and the MRT station (if no feeder service then
people may use their car or motorcycle for the whole journey)
Road based public transport can be limited in the City Centre because people are
using the MRT
4.4.14 It is recommended that bus feeder routes are operated by the MRT line operators. This is an
integrated approach successfully implemented in for example, Hong Kong that benefits the
operators because the feeder buses offer a pick and drop off service for the MRT thereby
increasing overall patronage and public transport attractiveness.
Public Transport Interchanges with MRT
4.4.15 Public Transport Interchanges (PTI’s) refer to key areas of connectivity between more than
one public transport mode and a fundamental inclusion in a sustainable integrated transport
network. In HCMC public transport is comprised of bus, urban railway, ferry and in the future
MRT. Taxis are also a form of public transport to some extent but are not ‘mass’ passenger
modes.
4.4.16 The long term vision should include provision for major bus / MRT interchanges that would
predominantly be located at the outer MRT terminals of Line 1, 2, 3(a/b) and 4. Bus Rapid
Transit (BRT) as an extension of the MRT network should be considered to serve the growing
population on the outskirts of HCMC. The Master Plan would need to be finalised and further
study carried out to investigate the exact locations of PTI’s that should ideally connect with
urban rail as well.
4.4.17 Interchange between public ferry piers and bus and where possible MRT should also be
considered. MRT to MRT interchanges are covered elsewhere in this report but would again
need to be confirmed following the approval of the final / updated Master Plan.
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