In a bid to increase the ridership on Saigon’s 270 bus routes, the city will implement free WIFI for passengers.
The plan, drafted by the HCMC Transport Cooperatives Association and approved by the Department of Transport, saw success during a pilot program in August, according to Pham Quoc Viet, head of the association’s planning division.
Viet told Saigon Economic Times that, “many passengers expressed satisfaction, saying it allowed them to read newspapers, search for directions, and do other things during the trip.”
The next step is for cooperation agreements to be signed between bus and telecom companies which will provide free WIFI in exchange for advertising space on the buses.
A recent World Bank survey found that only 1.4% of commuters use buses in Saigon.
No word yet on when the WIFI program will go into operation.
While not a perfect transportation solution, Saigon’s buses are cheap, relatively quick and convenient. WIFI would be a great addition to the city’s cheapest form of passive transport.
You can check out an interactive map of Saigon's bus routes here.
