Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport (MoT) has dropped the requirement that electronic contract-based vehicles such as Grab or GoViet must have a roof sign like taxi cabs.
The move is stated in the MoT’s latest draft decree in replacement of Decree No.86 setting out conditions for transportation businesses. Following the proposal, ride-hailing cars now only need to have a reflective decal on the right side of the car’s windshield stating “contracted car”, aiming to better identify different modes of transport. 

The MoT also requested companies providing electronic contract-based cars to have specialized department supervising the operation of such vehicles for safety purposes. 

In a previous version of the draft decree, the MoT expected under-nine seat cars operating under electronic contract must have light-box clearly stating “Electronic taxi” installed on their roof. 

Additionally, electronic taxis will have software connecting drivers and passengers, providing them with information on the company, driver, car, general fare and fares for specific routes, among others, and receive payments via electronic channels. 

According to the MoT, the requirement would help better differentiate between private cars and taxis, preventing the latter from disguising themselves as private cars. 

However, in a meeting on July 22, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested the MoT to drop the proposal that requires electronic contract-based vehicles to have a roof sign.

The MoT should consider using technologies as instruments for management, instead of traditional methods such as light-box, Phuc said.

Vietnam currently has 866 transportation companies operating 36,800 electronic-contract based vehicles, including 506 in Ho Chi Minh City with 21,600 cars and 354 in Hanoi with 15,000 cars.