The Ministry of Transport's Finance Department and theHanoi Transport Company will rearrange routes to better cope with risingpublic transport demand in some areas and less demand in others.
Thepilot route will run from Kim Ma to Yen Nghia bus station, throughGiang Vo, Lang Ha, Le Van Luong, Lang Ha, Le Trong Tan and Ba La. Thebus system is expected to be fully implemented in early 2015.
The 90-passenger busses will arrive every three to five minutes, and travel 22 kilometres per hour.
Passengers must buy electronic tickets at the bus stop before getting on board.
Allrapid buses will be linked to their control centre through a GPS tomake handling unexpected problems more efficient. The system willconnect to traffic lights, as well, giving rapid busses first priorityto cross intersections.
The World Bank funded the 49 million USD project, including infrastructure, bus stations and vehicles.
Hanoi earlier began a pilot project to introduce electronicsmartcards in the city. The project consists of two phases funded bynon-refundable aid from Japan International Cooperation Agency.-VNA