Friday, March 21, 2014

Hanoi cabbie charges foreigners $12 for 1-km ride

Tuoitrenews
Updated : 03/22/2014 10:50 GMT + 7 

 An illegal taxi driver in Hanoi has been punished for charging his foreign passengers VND245,000 (roughly US$12) for a 1-km distance, 20 times higher than the normal rate.

Yesterday, deputy chief of the Inspectorate of the Hanoi Transport Department Hoang Van Manh said the agency has handled the case in which Hoang Trieu Quy, the driver of a  “taxi dù” – a taxi that operates without a license – overcharged three foreign passengers on Wednesday.

Accordingly, the agency requested that Quy apologize to his passengers, with American and British nationalities, and return the overcharged amount to these foreigners, which the driver obeyed, Manh said.



The foreigners reported that they took Quy’s taxi to go from the Hanoi Railway Station to Ma May Street, a distance of only about one kilometer. However, when Quy stopped at the destination, the taximeter showed a charge of VND245,000 ($11.5).
The foreigner said they told Quy that such a charge was much higher than normal, but Quy still demanded them pay the amount.  
After paying Quy, the foreigners took photos of Quy, his cab and the cab’s number plate. They then, with the help of staffs at their hotel, reported the overcharging case to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which later refered the case to the Inspectorate.

After an investigation, transport inspectors identified Quy as the driver who overcharged the foreigners.

Quy has illegally used the logo of Hong Minh Taxi Company for his cab, used the taximeter not in accordance to applicable regulations, has neither a driver’s license nor a vehicle registration certificate, said Bui Ngoc Tan, deputy head of the mobile inspection team of the Hanoi Transport Department . 

The team has impounded Quy's cab and the offender is to pay a fine of up to VND10 million (US$470), Tan said.

A similar occurred last month when the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Hanoi Traffic Inspection Agency have jointly handled the case in which Ngo Thi Nhung, the female driver of a  “taxi dù”, overcharged two British passengers on February 15.

Accordingly, these agencies have requested that Nhung apologize to the two British nationals,  Nicola Iraland and Brianna Solomon, and return the overcharged amount, US$50, to the foreigners.

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