Hanoi's vehicle inspection centers face shutdown

Despite growing demand for vehicle inspections, a shortage of technicians could put local vehicle inspection centers out of business, according to the Hanoi Department of Transport.

A vehicle inspection center in Hanoi. Photo: The Hanoi Times

In the latest report to the municipal People’s Committee, the city's Department of Transport said there are now 28 car assessment facilities.

With 53 out of a total of 59 lines fully operational, the facilities can handle nearly 67,700 cars per month.

However, the number of cars to be inspected may reach 77,400 in April, 90,700 in May, and 87,000 in June, with a sharp peak in August.

Over the next three months, local assessment centers can only meet a maximum of 87% of the total demand.

The department also warned that a lack of qualified technicians could disrupt the assessment lines.

Under the rules, an inspection center will be suspended for three months if at least two of its technicians are banned for 12 months.

In its report, the Hanoi Department of Transport said that there are now 226 technicians working in all vehicle inspection stations. Of the total, 143 technicians have been suspended and are being prosecuted for taking bribes and approving vehicles with substandard mechanics and exhaust systems, leading to road accidents and pollution. Pending the outcome of the court case, these technicians have been allowed to resume their work to ensure that vehicle inspections can continue.

"Once they are found guilty, their work licenses will be revoked and these technicians will no longer be able to work as vehicle registrars," the ministry said. "The facilities may face a temporary shutdown if they cannot find a source of registrars to meet the demand for vehicle inspections."

The Hanoi Department of Transportation has inspected local car testing facilities on their operating conditions. The department has asked all car inspection stations to adhere strictly to the rules and to find solutions to prevent possible overcrowding.

The department will continue to work with related units to keep the facilities running even if the technicians are in court, and has proposed to the Hanoi People's Committee to buy more machines and equipment for assessment and to seek assistance from the Ministry of Transport and the Vietnamese Registry.

The situation resulted from investigations launched in early 2023 by the Ministry of Public Security. The legal process was launched for the technicians and managers who had broken the law in running car registration centers across the country.

It is estimated that more than 400 registrars and officials have been detained and prosecuted. Many were given probationary periods to continue working at the centers.

During the raids, many facilities were closed and suspended, making it hard for car owners to get their vehicles checked when their papers expired.

The Ministry of Transport has turned to the police and the military registrars to ease congestion at vehicle inspection stations.

Then, in August 2023, the Ministry of Transport issued a regulation allowing the automatic extension of the inspection validity of non-commercial vehicles for six months without the need to take the vehicles to the inspection stations.