VietNamNet Bridge – Uber, a ride-sharing taxi service new to HCM City and Ha Noi, has attracted a growing number of passengers, but officials have said the business is unsafe and difficult to manage.

Uber, an American taxi "app" service, offers low-cost taxi rides in expensive cars without any signage. Customers use the "app" to register the route they want to take, and the system connects them to available drivers.

The app tells customers how much the ride will cost, and gives them information about the car picking them up. It charges the customer's Visa or Mastercard for the service.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Tran Bao Ngoc, head of the Ministry of Transport's transport department, said the service failed to meet certain regulations.

Uber had not registered in Viet Nam to provide taxi services or to pay taxes, Ngoc said. It also posed risks to passengers, because it didn't follow safety standards, such as recruiting qualified drivers and buying insurance, he said.

Tran Minh Huyen, who has used the new service in Ha Noi, said she was happy with it.

"I will definitely continue using it if it continues to offer good service and low costs," she said.

However, HCM City's Taxi Association has protested the service's existence in Viet Nam, and asked the Government to address safety concerns surrounding it.

In reply to the association, the transport ministry has asked the Ministry of Public Security to work on the problem and penalise cars that provide taxi services without visible logos or required safety precautions.

VNS/VNN