Key Summary
This article from InApps.net, sourced from VietNamNet Bridge, details the 2017 launch of a digital traffic app by Ho Chi Minh City’s Transport Department to address severe traffic congestion in the metropolis. Key points include:
- Purpose and Functionality:
- The app aims to help commuters avoid congestion hotspots in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), a city with over 10 million residents and nearly 9 million motorbikes.
- Accessible via www.giaothong.hochiminhcity.gov.vn or the ‘TTGT Tp. Ho Chi Minh’ Android app, it’s free and operates 24/7.
- Features include:
- Route recommendations to bypass gridlocked streets or accident zones.
- Real-time traffic updates (volume, vehicle speed, flow images) from 300+ traffic cameras.
- Information on speed limits, parking locations, paid parking streets, public restrooms, and Tet holiday festival locations.
- A feedback tool for residents to report road infrastructure issues.
- Context and Significance:
- HCMC faces severe traffic congestion, exacerbated by 4,200 new cars and 9,000 new motorbikes registered monthly, with limited public transport (only buses).
- The app is part of broader efforts to build a smart city, praised by Vice Chairman Le Van Khoa for applying IT to urban challenges.
- Other proposed measures include one-way streets, elevated roads, and banning private vehicles in downtown areas.
- Technical Details:
- Data is sourced from traffic cameras and other inputs, processed to provide real-time insights.
- The app’s four key functions focus on route planning, traffic updates, street information, and user feedback.
- Broader Context:
- Traffic congestion is a critical issue in Vietnam’s major cities (HCMC, Hanoi), prompting innovative solutions like this app.
- The launch aligns with Vietnam’s push for digital transformation, despite ICT sector challenges in 2023 (e.g., 8.66% revenue drop, per related InApps articles).
VietNamNet Bridge – Commuters can now plan their routes to avoid getting stuck in HCM City’s congestion hotspots as the city’s Transport Department has announced the launch of a digital traffic app aimed at informing commuters of traffic congestion.
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| The homepage of the digital traffic app which aims to inform commuters of traffic congestion in HCM City. Photo sggp.org.vn |
The move aims to curb the worsening traffic congestion in the southern metropolis.
To access the free-of-charge app, users can visit www.giaothong.hochiminhcity.gov.vn on their computers or smartphones or download the ‘TTGT Tp. Ho Chi Minh’ app on Android smartphones.
According to Tran Quang Lam, deputy director of the city’s Transport Department, the website, which is designed with four key functions, operate using data collected from the city’s traffic cameras and other sources.
The app provides recommendations for the most appropriate route for commuters to reach their destination, helping them to avoid certain streets with serious gridlock or where accidents have happened.
The application updates its users on traffic situations at specific times, including the volume of traffic, speed of vehicles, and traffic flow images at congested hotspots across the city (by more than 300 cameras operated by the department).
The app also provides other useful information on streets such as the allowed speed of vehicles on specific streets, parking locations, streets which allow parking with fees and public restrooms.
During the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, which begins this week, citizens will also be informed where local festivals are organized.
The website is equipped with a tool to receive feedback or reports from the city’s residents on any issues regarding road infrastructure.
The digital map will be accessible 24/7, according to Lam.
Le Van Khoa, vice chairman of the city’s People’s Committee, highly appreciated the transport department’s efforts in applying IT in curbing traffic congestion, contributing to building a smart city.
Traffic congestion has become one of the most serious problems in the country’s large cities like HCM City and Ha Noi.
With a population of more than 10 million, HCM City is seeking drastic measures to tackle traffic jams, especially during peak hours.
The city is considering making some major streets become one-way streets, building elevated roads and even banning private vehicles from downtown areas to ease congestion.
Nearly 9 million motorbikes are currently running on more than 4,000 kilometers of roads in HCM City, not to mention private cars and bicycles.
Nearly 4,200 new cars and 9,000 new motorbikes are registered every month, while public transport is limited to only buses.
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