Vietnam transport updates: Expressway traffic and green transit shifts

North-South Expressway Vietnam Road Administration electric buses traffic volume public transport digitalization

The Vietnam Road Administration has addressed concerns regarding a decline in traffic on the North-South Expressway. While vehicle volume in September 2026 decreased by 14.4% compared to August, officials attribute this to the end of the summer travel peak and the start of the new school year rather than high tolls or safety distance penalties. Data shows that September traffic remains 3.7% higher than the seven-month average since toll collection began in March 2026.

In urban transport, Hanoi's Transerco has introduced 28 VinFast electric buses on routes 22A and 22B to support green transition goals. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City is advancing the digitalization of its public transport system, utilizing GPS, electronic tickets, and camera monitoring to manage its 134 free-fare bus routes, which saw a 49% increase in passengers compared to the previous year.

Regarding safety, the Vietnam Road Administration emphasized that maintaining safe following distances is a mandatory requirement aligned with the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and domestic laws to ensure passenger and vehicle safety.

Entities

Hanoi · National Highway 1 · North-South Eastern Expressway · North-South Expressway · Transerco · Vietnam Road Administration · VinFast

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Maintaining safe following distances is required by the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and Vietnamese law. giaoducthoidai.vn · nhandan.vn · www.vietnamplus.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] Traffic on National Highway 1 decreased by 11.2% in September 2026 compared to August 2026. giaoducthoidai.vn · nhandan.vn · www.vietnamplus.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] The decrease in traffic is attributed to seasonal factors, specifically students returning to school after the summer and National Day holidays. giaoducthoidai.vn · nhandan.vn · www.vietnamplus.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] Vehicle traffic on the North-South Eastern Expressway decreased by 14.4% in September 2026 compared to August 2026. giaoducthoidai.vn · nhandan.vn · www.vietnamplus.vn
[● 3 SOURCES] The September 2026 expressway traffic volume of 13.6 million vehicles is 3.7% higher than the seven-month average since toll collection began in March 2026. giaoducthoidai.vn · nhandan.vn · www.vietnamplus.vn