Circular No. 33/2024/TT-BGTVT on the management of prices for ferry services funded from state budget sources under central management.

CIRCULAR

Regulations on the management of prices for ferry service funded from state budget sources and managed centrally

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Pursuant to the Price Law dated June 19, 2023;

Pursuant to the Road Law dated June 27, 2024;

Pursuant to Decree No. 85/2024/NĐ-CP dated July 10, 2024 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Price Law;

BASED ON THE DECREE NO. 56/2022/ND-CP dated August 24, 2022 of THE GOVERNMENT stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Finance and the Director of the Vietnam Highway Administration;

The Minister of Transport issues this Circular regulating the management of prices for ferry services funded from state budget sources and managed centrally.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. This Circular regulates the management of prices for ferry services funded from state budget sources and managed centrally.

Article 2. This Circular applies to ferry terminal management agencies, ferry service providers, and organizations and individuals related to the management of ferry terminal service prices funded from state budget sources and managed centrally.

Article 2. Subjects required to pay for ferry service

The subjects required to pay for ferry service are: pedestrians, passengers traveling by vehicle, and drivers of non-motorized vehicles and motorized vehicles on roads.

Article 3. Subjects exempted from paying for ferry service

1. Ambulances and vehicles transporting accident victims to emergency facilities.

2. Firefighting vehicles of the Fire Prevention and Fighting Police Force and other firefighting forces dispatched for firefighting duties with priority signals as prescribed by law.

3. Agricultural and forestry machinery including: plows, harrows, cultivators, weeders, and rice threshers.

4. Flood control vehicles; vehicles performing urgent tasks to prevent and combat floods upon dispatch by competent authorities.

5. Special-purpose vehicles serving national defense including special-purpose vehicles with red license plates, white letters and numbers embossed, equipped with specialized devices for national defense (including: tanker trucks, cranes, troop transport vehicles with at least 12 seats, covered cargo trucks with installed seats in the cargo area, inspection vehicles, military inspection vehicles, special-purpose prisoner transport vehicles, rescue vehicles, satellite communication vehicles, and other special-purpose vehicles for national defense), vehicles performing urgent tasks using priority signals as prescribed by law when on duty.

6. Special-purpose vehicles of units under the organizational system of the People's Public Security Forces include:

a) Traffic police patrol cars with rotating lights on the roof and the words "TRAFFIC POLICE" printed on both sides of the car body;

b) 113 police cars with the words "POLICE 113" printed on both sides of the car body;

c) Mobile police cars with the words "MOBILE POLICE" printed on both sides of the car body;

d) Cargo trucks with installed seats in the cargo area used by the People's Public Security Forces on duty;

đ) Prisoner transport vehicles, rescue vehicles, and other special-purpose vehicles of the People's Public Security Forces;

e) Special vehicles (satellite communication vehicles, bulletproof vehicles, anti-terrorism and riot control vehicles, and other special vehicles of the People's Public Security Forces);

g) Vehicles of the People's Public Security Forces performing urgent tasks using priority signals as prescribed by law.

7. Military vehicles participating in exercises, mobile force maneuvers, and transportation of weapons and equipment with military special-purpose vehicles leading the convoy.

8. Funeral service vehicles, including:

a) Vehicles specifically designed for funeral services (including: funeral cars, refrigerated cargo trucks used to store and transport bodies);

b) Other funeral service vehicles (including: passenger vehicles accompanying funeral cars, cargo trucks carrying flowers, and escort vehicles).

9. Convoy with traffic police leading the way.

10. Vehicles transporting medicines, machinery, equipment, supplies, and goods to disaster-stricken areas or epidemic zones as prescribed by law during emergencies caused by major disasters or dangerous epidemics.

11. War invalids, disabled veterans, persons with disabilities, students, and children under ten years old (including those riding bicycles or motorcycles). When using ferry services in these cases, they must present necessary documents (original or certified copies, electronic copies certified from original or electronic copies issued from the original records) such as: war invalid certificates, veteran certificates accompanied by identification cards; certificates for war invalids and veterans along with identification cards; student identity cards or school certificates for students.

12. Persons and vehicles using ferry services at the Kênh Tắt and Láng Sắt ferry terminals on National Route 53, and the Kênh Sáu ferry terminal on National Route 53B.

Article 4. Valuation of Ferry Service

1. The price range for ferry service shall be determined in accordance with the principles and bases stipulated in Article 22 of the Price Law.

2. The Vietnam Road Administration shall decide on the application of pricing methods as prescribed by laws on prices.

3. The ferry terminal management agency shall be responsible for coordinating with the service provider to develop a pricing plan for ferry services according to the requirements of the Vietnam Road Administration, ensuring compliance with legal regulations on prices and bearing responsibility for the pricing plan they establish.

4. The Vietnam Road Administration shall be responsible for reviewing the pricing plans, submitting them to the Ministry of Transport for issuance of decisions establishing the price range for ferry services.

5. The establishment, review of pricing plan documentation, issuance of valuation documents or price adjustments shall be carried out in accordance with legal regulations on prices.

Article 5. Price Range for Ferry Services

1. The price range for using ferry services is the maximum and minimum charge set for each trip for pedestrians, passengers traveling by vehicle, and each type of vehicle when crossing a river by ferry. The ferry terminal management agency and the ferry service provider shall determine specific prices within the established price range for ferry services issued by the Ministry of Transport.

2. The price range for ferry services shall be reviewed and adjusted when factors affecting pricing change.

Article 6. Management of Tickets for Ferry Service Fees

1. The printing, issuance, management, and use of tickets for ferry service fees shall comply with legal regulations on the management of sales invoices for goods and services.

2. Ferry service fee tickets at ferry terminals include two types: single-trip tickets and monthly tickets.

a) Single-trip ticket: a ticket valid for one-time use of ferry service for a person required to pay the ferry service fee;

b) Monthly ticket: a ticket valid for multiple uses of ferry service over a period of 30 days, from the date specified on the ticket to the end date specified on the ticket. Monthly tickets only apply to individuals subject to monthly fare rates as stipulated in valuation documents issued by the Minister of Transport.

For pedestrians, the ticket must clearly state their name, identification number (or passport; driver's license for automobiles or motorcycles; personal identity confirmation certificate issued by the police station or commune where they reside permanently or temporarily). For vehicles without license plates, the ticket must clearly state the type of vehicle and the name, identification number (or passport; driver's license for automobiles or motorcycles; personal identity confirmation certificate issued by the police station or commune where they reside permanently or temporarily) of the vehicle operator. For vehicles with license plates, the ticket must clearly state the type of vehicle and its license plate number.

3. Tickets purchased for individuals required to pay ferry service fees are only valid for use at that particular ferry terminal.

4. In cases of disasters, epidemics, natural calamities, or other force majeure events, if the ferry terminal is required to suspend operations by the competent authority, the service provider shall extend the validity period of monthly tickets based on the principle that the extension period equals the suspension period but shall not exceed the remaining validity period of the monthly ticket calculated from the start of the suspension period.

Article 7. Price Declaration

1. The Vietnam Highway Administration shall be responsible for receiving price declaration documents and organizing the updating of declared price information into the National Price Database for ferry service.

2. The methods of implementation and receipt of price declarations shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Prices.

Article 8. Price Display

Units providing ferry services shall implement price display for ferry services in accordance with the provisions of Article 29 of the Law on Prices.

Article 9. Publicizing Information on Prices

Publicizing information on prices shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 of the Law on Prices.

Article 10. Responsibilities of Ferry Terminal Management Units and Ferry Service Providers

1. The management authority of ferry terminals shall be responsible for leading and coordinating with ferry service providers to establish pricing plans for ferry services, inspecting and supervising the implementation of price management regulations by ferry service providers.

2. Ferry service providers shall be responsible for:

a) Determining specific service usage fees based on the price framework established by state agencies;

b) Implementing price declarations, publicizing, and displaying information about fee levels and exemptions from payment for service usage in accordance with the law on prices;

c) Adhering to regulations on inspection and supervision according to the law on price management;

d) Organizing ticket sales points that are convenient for vehicle owners and avoid traffic congestion;

e) Selling tickets promptly and fully to all individuals requiring the service.

Article 11. Responsibilities of the Vietnam Highway Administration

1. Implementing the organization and execution of price management regulations as stipulated in this Circular.

2. Conducting inspections and monitoring compliance with laws and regulations regarding prices for ferry services funded by state budget funds and managed centrally, within its jurisdiction.

Article 12. Implementation Organization

1. This Circular shall take effect from January 1, 2025.

2. Repealing Circular No. 31/2020/TT-BGTVT dated December 8, 2020 issued by the Minister of Transport on the price framework for ferry services on national highways funded by state budget funds and managed centrally, and Circular No. 37/2022/TT-BGTVT dated December 30, 2022 issued by the Minister of Transport amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular No. 31/2020/TT-BGTVT dated December 8, 2020 issued by the Minister of Transport on the price framework for ferry services on national highways funded by state budget funds and managed centrally./.