In a recent unscheduled inspection, transport inspectors and police uncovered and slapped fines on dozens of falsified taxis in Ho Chi Minh City’s center districts within just one hour; in many cases, drivers mimicked the brand names of well-known companies to cheat passengers.
On Hong Bang Street, District 5, taxi 56K-4539 was caught red-handed as it was operating under a different name than the one which was registered on the operation license.
A moment later, the officials continued issuing penalties to cab 52V-4539, as they noticed that it had been disguised to look like a Mai Linh Taxi, a prestigious transport company in VN, but in fact, it was from a city cooperative.
In front of Ben Thanh Market in District 1, cab 50Z-5367 received a penalty for committing the same violation on Phan Boi Chau Street.
Inspectors then stripped two other cabs of their fraudulent labels on Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1.
After the inspection, the officials said that most of the fraudulent cabs were concentrated in city center areas like Bach Dang Wharf, Diamond Plaza, Cho Ray Hospital, and Ben Thanh Market, and on Ly Tu Trong and Chu Manh Trinh streets.
Most of the taxi imposters used names of famous companies like Mai Linh and Vinasun.
If operation of fraudulent cabs is not deterred quickly, it will badly affect the fame and prestige of many large transport operators including Mai Linh and create an unfair competition within public transport, said general director of Mai Linh Group Ho Huy.
