Following the implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law and Decree 168/2024, the Ho Chi Minh City Logistics Association has highlighted significant challenges faced by transportation businesses, including potential reductions in FDI attraction.
Specifically, the Road Traffic Safety Law stipulates that a commercial driver may not operate a vehicle for more than 10 hours per day or 48 hours per week, with no more than 4 consecutive hours of driving.
Drivers face 4-hour limits but cannot stop due to traffic jams and lack of rest stops – 1Cat Lai Port, Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Dan Tri).
The association argues that Vietnam’s infrastructure remains inadequate, failing to ensure seamless traffic flow, particularly in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City where long-lasting traffic jams frequently occur. Additionally, some routes lack rest stations, forcing drivers to leave highways to find places to stop.
“The regulations limiting driving time to 10 hours per day and 48 hours per week create difficulties for companies, especially given the current shortage of drivers. This leads to increased recruitment challenges, impacts business operations, and results in wasted time and manpower,” stated the Vietnam Logistics Association.
During the weeks leading up to Tet 2025, severe and prolonged traffic congestion was concentrated around ports in Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong.
According to the association’s statistics, a truck from factories in Binh Duong and Dong Nai takes 5-6 hours to reach Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City to unload export containers, resulting in 25-30% of exported goods being delayed.
This situation arises from a shortage of transport vehicles to ports for export procedures, coupled with mandatory 4-hour breaks for drivers, causing chain traffic jams on national highways and port areas.
Based on these issues, the Ho Chi Minh City Logistics Association recommends that the government and relevant ministries adjust regulations to better suit Vietnam’s practical conditions.
Specifically, drivers should be allowed to drive beyond the 4-hour limit in cases of traffic jams (speed below 15 km/h), on highways without rest stops, or other unsafe situations. Furthermore, the daily working hours for drivers should be adjusted to a maximum of 12 hours per day and 70 hours per week (aligning with the highest standards in the U.S. and Canada) to enhance the industry’s competitiveness within the region.
Source link: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/lai-xe-lo-4-gio-nhung-khong-the-dung-vi-un-tac-thieu-tram-nghi-20250208121846612.htm
