Ho Chi Minh City has officially implemented new regulations on truck ban hours within the inner city area to alleviate traffic congestion. These regulations took effect on August 1st and are expected to bring positive results in improving the city’s traffic situation.
Two-ton truck
Specifically, light trucks (under 2.5 tons) are prohibited from circulating in the inner city area from 6 AM to 9 AM and from 4 PM to 8 PM daily. These are two peak hours with high traffic density, prone to congestion. Restricting light trucks during these hours is expected to significantly free up road space, allowing other vehicles to move more smoothly.
Truck prohibition sign
For heavy trucks, the traffic ban is stricter, lasting from 6 AM to 10 PM daily. However, some peripheral roads around the inner city still allow heavy trucks to operate to ensure goods transportation activities. These routes include National Highway 1 (section from Hanoi Highway to Nguyen Van Linh Road), Hanoi Highway (section from National Highway 1 to Cat Lai intersection), Mai Chi Tho Avenue (section from Dong Van Cong Street to Vo Chi Cong Street) in the North, West, and East directions. The South direction includes Vo Chi Cong Street (from Dong Van Cong Street to Phu My Bridge, Phu My Bridge to the elevated road, from Phu My Bridge to Area A South Saigon intersection) and Nguyen Van Linh Road (section from Area A South Saigon intersection to National Highway 1).
The number of trucks in Ho Chi Minh City is rapidly increasing, and freight transport operations are continuous, without specific hours, contributing to traffic congestion on many routes. The new truck ban hours regulation is considered a necessary solution to control the situation and reduce pressure on the transportation system. This also meets the request from Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong at the preliminary meeting on traffic safety in the first 6 months of 2017 to study options for banning small trucks from operating during the day and shifting to night-time operations on main corridors that are frequently congested. This decision demonstrates the city government’s determination to solve the problem of traffic congestion, bringing a better living environment for residents.
