HCMC to pilot issuing taxi vouchers to passengers TUOITRENEWS   A passenger about to get into a taxi cab. Five taxi companies in HCMC will pilot issuing vouchers to their customers this year. Photo: Tuioi Tre Five taxi companies in Ho Chi Minh City will issue printed vouchers to passengers this year on a pilot basis to improve transparency in taxi fees and bring more convenience to customers. This is the result of a meeting between the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology and the HCMC Taxi Association to implement the city People’s Committee’s policy that taxi companies must issue vouchers to their customers. The policy is a measure to help enhance taxi service quality and fight against illegal taxi operators that often overcharge passengers and cause trouble to them.  A taxi voucher will contain the following details: the address and contact number of the taxi company, the full name of the driver, the number plate of the cab, the departure and arrival times of the vehicle, the distance of travel and the charge payable by the passenger.  Along with giving vouchers, these companies will distribute survey sheets to passengers to collect their feedback about the new move, said an official at the HCMC Sub-department of Standardization, Metrology and Quality Control.  Many taxi companies have said they agree to the suggestion of issuing vouchers to passengers. Taxi vouchers will not only enable passengers to check the transport charge but also help them to easily contact the company or the driver in the event that they have left their luggage or assets in a cab, said Ta Long Hy, director of Vinasun. Issuing vouchers will enhance transparency in charging by taxi companies, Hy said. Duong Tien Thu, chairman of the 27-7 Taxi Cooperative, said taxi vouchers will help passengers know about the service quality of taxi companies.  Some taxi companies’ directors suggested that the Sub-department consider installing a printer next to the meter to issue vouchers to passengers.  The sub-department said if the plan is successfully implemented in HCMC, the agency will propose to the government that it be applied across the country. HCMC now has 26 taxi companies with 12,426 taxi cabs, according to the HCMC Transport Department. Last year 6,772 taxi drivers returned belongings to passengers which had been left in their cabs, the HCMC Taxi Association reported.