First green buses in southern make debut

Illustration photo

Twenty-one buses, which operate on compressed natural gas (CNG), are being used on one of the busiest stretches connecting downtown in District 1 and the Bình Tây market in District 5.

The green buses, commissioned by State-run Sài Gòn Bus Company will help reduce air pollution, according to Lê Trung Tín, head of transport management for the city's Department of Transport.

Using CNG can save around 50% of fuel costs as compared to petrol and reduce hydrocarbon emissions by 35%, oxide by 62%, and carbon dioxide by 9%, according to an official from South Korea's Ministry of Environment, who spoke at a recent seminar held in Hồ Chí Minh City on the development of CNG for transport vehicles.

The city estimates that 10,000 buses run by CNG would save the city more than US $83 million each year. 

In five years, the city plans to have 1,680 CNG-fuelled buses. To accommodate the narrow streets of the city, the buses are also designed to be smaller than the ones currently in use.

The city has been improving the quality of bus service and facilities to attract more people to public transport. An additional 240 bus stations will be built by the end of the year./.