Nguyen Van Quyen re-elected Chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association, sixth term
On the morning of 6 October in Hanoi, the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association (VATA) held its sixth congress, for the 2023–2028 term. Attending were Le Dinh Tho, Deputy Minister of Transport; Phan Thi Thu Hien, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Road Administration; leaders of the National Traffic Safety Committee and of the provincial transport departments; and delegates from member associations.
Opening the congress, Nguyen Van Quyen, Chairman for the fifth term, said VATA is a socio-professional organisation founded in 1995 that has now held five congresses. Throughout its work the association has had the direction of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the guidance and cooperation of the relevant agencies.
The fifth term in particular was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected transport operations severely, and by a strong push on institutional reform and digital transformation. That created room for transport to modernise and grow, but it also raised many issues for member businesses.
Conscious of the association’s role and responsibilities, and implementing the resolution of the fifth congress (2018–2023), the executive board, standing board and permanent office followed the resolution closely; they worked together to bring it into the practice of road transport and took an active part in advising state management agencies on building and improving the legal framework. Much was achieved, though some shortcomings remain.
Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho addressed the congress.
Reporting to the congress, VATA Vice-Chairman Do Xuan Hoa said that over the 2018–2023 term the association had done well in encouraging members to reorganise their operations and raise the quality of transport services to meet the needs of society; taking part in drafting legal documents; informing and guiding members in carrying out the policies of the Party and the laws of the State; and protecting members’ legitimate rights and interests.
The association has been a genuine bridge between businesses and state management agencies, and a support to its members. Road safety, both a social and an economic matter, has been a central task carried out with agencies and businesses. The association has grown its membership, established provincial and city road transport associations, renewed the content and format of local association activity, and built itself into a stronger body; it has delivered the services entrusted to it by state agencies, transferred some services to its representative offices, and strengthened the tie between the association and its members; and it has consolidated its full-time staff, specialist boards, regional representative offices and member associations, alongside other work.
Do Xuan Hoa reporting to the congress.
Over five years, with the direction of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Home Affairs, the cooperation and support of the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam (now the Vietnam Road Administration), the advisory bodies of the two ministries and the provincial transport departments, the backing of members and the united, responsible work of the executive board, standing board and permanent office, the association’s work has moved forward in both scale and quality. Membership and local bodies have grown quickly; activities have been varied and practical; the association has taken an active part in drafting legal documents and in informing and guiding members on the policies of the Party and the State; it has protected members’ legitimate interests; it has served well as a bridge between businesses and state management agencies and as a dependable support to members; it followed the course of the pandemic closely, implemented new requirements from the competent authorities, and raised difficulties and recommendations with them promptly; and it strengthened information and communication work in many forms. It has used many approaches and measures to help reduce road accidents, and has issued periodic forecasts of the difficulties and opportunities facing road transport so that businesses can build short- and long-term plans.
Delegates voting to elect the executive board.
The general direction set for road transport units over the next five years is: “Drive the adoption of digital transformation; strengthen connectivity, raise service quality and business efficiency; ensure road safety.”
The association recommended:
That the government, the Ministry of Transport and the relevant ministries promptly amend and issue decrees and circulars in line with management needs, with the Road Law and with the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, before those two laws take effect — in a spirit of reviewing and removing unreasonable business conditions, and resolving the flashpoints in the conditions applied to passenger transport. Also that the problems of overloaded vehicles, unlicensed coaches, unauthorised stops and contract vehicles operating in disguise be dealt with once and for all.
That the Ministry of Transport write to the People’s Committees of the provinces and centrally governed cities directing that passenger terminals not be moved too far from city centres, which makes it hard to connect passengers with transport, long-distance transport with urban transport, and one mode with another.
That provincial transport departments manage operations as required; end unlicensed coaches and unauthorised stops in their areas, with particular attention to managing contract vehicles; and work with the provincial finance departments to issue guidance on electronic invoices and electronic contracts. Also that they review and remove unreasonable prohibition signs; review speed-limit signs on expressways and upgraded national highways and adjust them sensibly for permitted speed, area and the hours a limit is needed; and adjust traffic lights along smarter lines to reduce congestion.
That provincial transport and home affairs departments help and guide the establishment of local associations where none yet exists, and create favourable conditions for local associations to operate in line with the law and with the association’s charter.
That the Vietnam Road Administration and VATA implement their coordination regulation well, to strengthen state management and, at the same time, the effectiveness of transport operations.
Delegates attending the congress.
Speaking at the congress, Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho commended VATA’s achievements over the past five years and, in that spirit, asked the association to study matters in depth, gather the views of transport businesses, and take an active part in commenting on the decrees and circulars guiding the laws mentioned above and on related legal documents.
He asked the association to urge and encourage transport businesses to apply science, technology and digital transformation in managing and running their operations, with particular attention to managing the safety conditions of drivers at the wheel; and to promote a culture of road safety and a sense of responsibility among transport businesses and drivers, contributing to a civilised, safe and humane traffic environment.
He also asked it to strengthen its role as a bridge between state management and business, raising businesses’ difficulties promptly while urging them, actively and objectively, to comply with the law; and to build on the role of local associations in creating a healthy, fair and effective business environment, united in growth and contributing to the economic and social development of the provinces and of the country.
“From the standpoint of state management of transport, the Ministry of Transport always gives careful consideration to the views of the association — a socio-professional organisation representing the legitimate rights and interests of transport organisations and businesses nationwide — when it raises the difficulties encountered in providing transport services; and on that basis studies, drafts and supplements regulations within its authority, and measures to help organisations and businesses operate stably and grow within the law,” Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tho said.
The congress elected an executive board for the sixth term of 86 members. Nguyen Van Quyen was again entrusted by the congress with the post of Chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association for the sixth term, 2023–2028.
Source: banduong.vn — Thuong Manh Linh
