After working hours, a large number of workers leave companies, factories and cause traffic congestion. Crowded traffic, careless drivers affect traffic safety. To solve this problem, some companies have rented or purchase buses to carry workers.
Going to work together
From Monday to Saturday, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh, worker of Vietnam Foster Electronics Co. (VSIP II) is carried to her company by bus. Therefore, although it was the seventh month of pregnancy, she still felt well. She said, her house was far away from the company, it was difficult for her to go to work. Thus, company buses carrying employees to work has made her feel more comfortable. This also helps weak drivers, workers having poor health as her to avoid accidents.
Workers feel safer as being picked up by company buses. Image: Company bus of Vietnam Foster Electronics Company.
Companies specified detail schedule and stations in order for workers to catch a bus. This helped workers to travel easily, devote their time to work. Vietnam Kumho Tire Co. (Ben Cat town) has arranged 4 buses to carry and pick up 150 employees from HCM City, Thuan An town, TDM City. Employees not using company buses are supported VND480,000-500,000/month. Employees using company buses are supported VND210,000-230,000/month to move from their house to pickup locations. Mr. Huynh Minh Hung, employee of Vietnam Kumho Tire Co., said: “Thanks to company buses, I did not have to buy motorcycle, and sent this money amount to my family. In addition, going to work bus can tighten solidarity, enhance empathy between workers away from home”.
According to Mr. Le Van Dat, Chairman of Ben Cat Industrial Park’s Trade Union, most provincial companies have buses to carry workers. This is a meaningful activity, reduces absenteeism to ensure production, expressed company’s concern about worker’s life, thus consolidating worker’s commitments to their company.
Tightening quality control of buses
Carrying workers is necessary, requires further attention of business owners to replicate this model. Many companies purchased or rented buses from transport services to carry workers. According to Department of Transportation, there are now 25 companies renting buses from transport services; total contracted vehicles are 774. Companies have also paid attention to quality control of vehicles. Some chairmen of Trade Unions affirmed that this activity had contributed to attracting and retaining workers. However, this model has not pervasive yet. Thus Trade Unions have advised companies to organize this activity to ensure traffic safety, reduce traffic congestion and traffic law violations.
Mr. Nguyen Chi Hieu, Head of Transport Management under Department of Transport, said, to secure traffic safety of workers, the department sent official documents to industrial park’s management board to disseminate buying, renting qualified vehicles, checking regularly vehicle quality. In addition, the department also carries out irregular inspections of contracted vehicles carrying workers of transport services. The department warned companies renting unqualified vehicles. Besides, from January 1st 2016, companies will have to register and be licensed by Department of Transport as purchasing vehicles to carry workers. Thereby, the department will be able to control all worker-carrying vehicles to ensure safety for employees.
Reported by T.Tam – Translated by Ngoc Huynh
