Ho Chi Minh City, 4th May, 2015 – Bridgestone Vietnam and Benhvienoto Group jointly organised the first-ever Bus Care Day in Vietnam today. Held across 24th – 25th April at the East Bound Coach Station, HCMC, and on 25th – 26th June at the Giap Bat Coach Station, Hanoi, the event aims to raise bus drivers’ and owners’ awareness of safety, and the importance of vehicle maintenance.

At the event, nearly 100 bus drivers and owners had their vehicles receive free inspection, checkup and maintenance. Technical support from well-known automotive brand GS Vietnam was also present to assist bus drivers and owners.

In Vietnam, buses are commonly used to reduce the need for personal transportation. In addition, this helps reduce the rate of traffic accidents, increase economic benefits and protect the environment. However, the number of accidents involving buses has increased dramatically recently, reflecting the lack of awareness amongst bus drivers and owners on the necessary technical knowledge on bus-related operations.

Enhancing safety through knowledge sharing

The tragic bus accident involving 50 fatalities that occurred last September in Sapa was a stark reminder for all bus drivers and owners. According to the National Traffic Safety Administration, improper awareness and the lack of knowledge was the cause of 80% of all accidents. In addition, there have been many cases of buses speeding excessively, being overloaded, drivers falling asleep behind the wheel, or lane encroachment being recorded. Some bus drivers and co-drivers do not even know the difference in tyre pressure for different types of load on their vehicles. This lack of knowledge and awareness, which can endanger the life and safety of bus passengers and other road users, is a serious matter.

To address this urgent and grave issue, Bridgestone Vietnam and Benhvienoto Group decided to raise the awareness of safety and vehicle maintenance amongst bus drivers and owners in Vietnam. At Bus Care Day, safety-related messages will be communicated to bus drivers, co-drivers and owners via interactive activities. Video simulation will highlight dangerous situations in bus driving, to help equip participants with the necessary safety skills for their daily driving, while teaching them how to react to unexpected and sudden situations. 

Maintain it right, be worry free

In addition, ensuring that buses are properly maintained also plays an important role in enhancing safety, as well as reducing financial and reputational loss. At Bus Care Day, experienced technicians provided tyre checks, accumulator checks, oil changes and air-filter cleaning, amongst other services. They also taught bus drivers and owners how to identify tyre wear and the correct time to replace their tyres.

“Properly inflated tyres are crucial to safety – they affect key safety aspects such as vehicle handling, traction and braking distance. Carrying out the right maintenance seems simple, but it is an important step before and after every trip that should never be skipped. Bridgestone Vietnam hopes that Bus Care Day will help make the roads of Vietnam safer for all,” said Mr. Hiroyuki Saito, General Director of Bridgestone Vietnam.

“Bus drivers are responsible for the lives of many. By imparting the necessary knowledge, skills and safety awareness to them, we believe this will lead to a reduction in avoidable road-related deaths and accidents. This will eventually lead to Vietnam generating a friendlier and more economical traffic environment,” shared Mr. Tran Hong Ninh, General Director of Benhvienoto Group.

Bridgestone Vietnam’s experts provided tyre-related care, measuring the participants’ vehicle tyres based on the following criteria: air pressure, tread depth, wear pattern, side surface, and valve quality. Bridgestone Vietnam also offered vouchers and free tyre consultation based on each vehicle’s load capability and daily business usage.

Besides tyres, the battery is an important part of a vehicle that should be checked prior to any long journey. GS Battery Vietnam – a pioneer in the battery industry – offered participants free battery maintenance, which includes battery cleaning, refilling of distilled water, electrolyte level check, and battery housing check.

“Bus drivers hardly get the chance to participate in such useful events. Despite being driving veterans, our knowledge of vehicle maintenance is usually limited, obtained from other drivers’ experiences and anecdotes. Bus Care Day has really helped us systematise our technical maintenance knowledge with clear how-to explanations on important components”, shared 45-seater bus driver Tran Van Doi.

“Raising the bar for bus safety is an important component for the enhancement of overall traffic safety in Vietnam. We wholeheartedly support Bus Care Day, and look to today’s participants becoming better and more responsible road users. We sincerely believe that such events will ultimately reduce the number of road accidents in Vietnam, making our roads safer for all.” Said Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuong, Vice Manager of HCMC Traffic Safety.

Over the last three years, “For Viet Auto Community” has raised VND 400 million in funds from the entrance tickets to similar events. The money has been used for meaningful social projects. At this first-ever Bus Care Day, five unlucky victims of traffic accidents received financial support to ease their financial burden.

Bus Care Day Fun Facts

1: Bus Care Day is the first-ever event exclusively designed for buses in Vietnam and it is also the duration for an experienced technician fulfilling 8 services for the buses attending the event

3: Is the number of well-known brands participating in the event, including Bridgestone Vietnam, GS Battery Vietnam, and Benhvienoto

6 is the number of steps in Bridgestone Vietnam’s Safe Tyre Caring procedure

8: is the number of services of a complete procedure at the Bus Care Day: checking tyres, checking batteries, checking oil & lube, cleaning windshield, cleaning air filters, scanning errors, refilling coolant & windshield washer and consulting

200 is the number of customers participating in Bus Care Day events held in Hanoi and HCMC

400 million VND: is the fund raised by Vi Cong Dong O to Viet Foundation over the last 3 years for social projects