Goods Transportation should not be delayed

The authorized forces divides the circulation flow in the area of ​​​​Vung Tau crossroads (Bien Hoa City) to create favorable conditions for goods transportation.

Facilitate the transportation circulation

The Vietnam Automobile Transport Association said that due to the prolonged epidemic, transportation activities were seriously affected. Compared to before the 4^th wave of Covid-19 epidemic occurred (from the end of April 2021), the number of passenger transport decreased sharply, only 20-30%; travel contract transport is almost "frozen"; goods transportation revenue decreased by 20-30%; The number of cars have no operation sometimes reaching more than 50%.

In particular, the stage of transporting goods on the road faces many difficulties because localities have strengthened inspection and control measures for drivers and vehicles when circulating on the road. It is worth mentioning that the regulations on disease prevention and control are not identification among localities, and each place implements each type of practice putting great pressure on the goods transportation industry.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Director of the Road Administration Department IV, said that the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam has organized 19 checkpoints to ensure safety against the epidemic on national highways belonging to the national "green lane" through 08 key provinces and cities in the South, including Dong Nai Province. In addition, the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam has also announced the national "green channel" on the national highway system for priority vehicles for transit and intra-regional circulation through provinces and cities.

From July 30, according to the direction of the Government, vehicles carrying essential goods and food into epidemic areas will not be checked if they have QR codes when circulating  on highways, national roads, provincial roads, inter-district roads, urban circulation nationwide. Inspection of vehicles carrying essential goods is only carried out at the points of delivery and receipt of goods, ensuring full compliance with epidemic prevention and control requirements. Localities actively organize circulation but not rigid and stereotyped and develop suitable plans to the situation and conditions of the province.

According to Mr. Thanh, in areas with high circulation density, bordering locations between localities where are implementing the Directive No. 16 of the Prime Minister on urgent measures for prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam cooperates with relevant units and localities to proactively separate circulation flows from afar, not to let medical control cause traffic jams, concurrently research and organize many checkpoints at different locations at a point, arrange cargo storage yards, and centrally manage drivers to improve the effectiveness of epidemic control.

“Up to now, at the checkpoints bordering between Dong Nai Province with Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong Province and Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, the flow of circulation on national roads has been clearer than before, convenient for goods transportationation in the area. Most of the means of transporting goods that have QR codes do not have to stop to wait for inspection, this work is only done with other means of transport, "- Mr. Thanh said.

Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Tran Trong Thuy, Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Division of the Provincial Public Security, assessed that the traffic control of the functional forces has been carried out methodically and scientifically, enhancing the application of information technology and equiping devices, and continuing to make effectively use of QR codes. Therefore, contributing to the highest efficiency at the request of the Provincial People's Committee on the control and prevention of Covid-19 epidemic on circulation routes as well as ensuring safety, preventing traffic jams at the gateway areas.

Tighten epidemic prevention when operating

According to the assessment of the authorities, the "green lane" gives priority to vehicles passing through traffic control points, but that does not mean that the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic is relaxed. Because at present, the transport industry has only issued identification certificates for vehicles, and drivers and people on the vehicle have not. Therefore, people on the vehicle must strictly comply with the regulations of the Ministry of Health such as: having a negative test certificate for SARS-CoV-2, limiting contact during the delivery and receipt of goods...

Deputy Director of the Department of Transport Duong Manh Hung said that every driver may be at risk when entering an epidemic area, possibly being an agent of spreading pathogens to the community. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly ensure safety and prevent epidemics from drivers and people on the vehicle. Enterprises must check and fully prepare measures to ensure driver safety before, during and after operation.

Mr. Hung added that relevant units will strengthen inspection of the implementation of measures for prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic at the request of competent authorities during the inspection and examination on transportation activities, activities of ensuring safety and security of enterprises, units and individuals at cargo terminals, bus stations, ports...

"For vehicles going in the wrong "green lane" announced by the competent authority, they need to be strictly handled. Enterprises must comply with their commitments in ensuring the disease prevention and control, "- Mr. Hung said.

Recently, the Provincial People's Committee has sent a document to the departments, branches and localities in the province on creating favorable conditions for goods transportationation, ensuring the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic. The Provincial People's Committee requires enterprises operating ports and wharves in the province to strictly control drivers, vehicles’ docker and crew members, etc…coming in and out of the ports and wharves in order to take measures for prevention and control of the epidemic, perform tests according to the regulations of the health authorities. At the same time, acting as a focal point to coordinate with agencies collects the Covid-19 testing samples for worker mentioned above.

For the Dong Nai Industrial Zones Authority, it is necessary to notify the companies in the industrial zones to organize strict control of drivers, vehicles’ docker at the delivery and receipt points to ensure the prevention and control of the epidemic under the regulations.

The Provincial People's Committee requested the Department of Transport to offer the transport units, vehicle owners, drivers and accompanying staff to strictly implement measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic during the process of transport activities. Only drivers and accompanying staffs on cargo vehicles are allowed to perform their duties when they have a certificate of negative for SARS-CoV-2 (within 72 hours), fully complete medical declaration when required.

The provincial Public Security direct the Covid-19 disease control points established by the province, the People's Committees of districts and cities direct the Covid-19 disease control points established by its localities not to organize inspection of the means of transportating the essential goods, food and foodstuffs serving people's lives, production and business, shuffling employees and experts who have been granted identification certificates with QR codes attached. At the same time, only inspecting through patrol and control activities on the route for vehicles showing signs of violations of regulations on prevention and control of Covid-19 epidemic and circulation safety; The inspection must ensure strictly, scientifically, not cause congestion ...

Vice Chairperson of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang assessed that in the context of complicated epidemic developments, the enterprises must uphold their responsibilities in the epidemic prevention and control. The circulation of goods is facilitated, but it requires transport enterprises to control and firmly grasp the drivers’ journey. From there, in order to be able to check and strictly handle if the driver fails to meet the regulations on epidemic prevention as well as circulation. 

Le Binh