On March 20, the Ministry of Construction requested local authorities and specialized agencies to strengthen the management of transport service prices and strictly handle cases of unreasonable fare increases linked to fuel price fluctuations.
Accordingly, provincial and municipal People’s Committees are asked to direct construction departments to closely monitor the impact of fuel prices on transport fares in their areas, particularly for passenger transport and essential goods. They are also tasked with guiding businesses to declare fares in accordance with the Law on Prices and relevant regulations.
Localities are required to intensify inspections of price declarations, listings and compliance with posted fares by transport operators, focusing on companies with significant price increases. Violations must be handled strictly to prevent profiteering from fuel price volatility.
In addition, local authorities are responsible for reviewing and optimizing transport operations, allocating vehicles in line with actual demand, and minimizing empty trips to save fuel and improve efficiency.
They are also encouraged to promote the application of science and technology, digital transformation in management and operations, and the transition to electric and clean-energy vehicles to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
The ministry also instructed relevant regulatory agencies to inspect fare declarations, listings, and compliance among transport operators under their jurisdiction, particularly those with large price hikes, in order to take timely action.
Notably, the Ministry of Construction has asked regulators to direct service providers operating under state-regulated pricing frameworks to consider reducing prices and applying minimum rates for services that are little or not affected by rising fuel costs.
