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Many taxi companies have added more vehicles to their fleet to serve rising demand in Hanoi in a prolonged cold spell.

More people opt to travel by taxis on cold days

The cold spell, which has lasted for around 20 days in Hanoi, making people want to travel as little as possible, has many choosing to travel by taxi. People, it seems, don’t want to be on a mororbike in this cold, hoping to avoid the severe weather as well as any illness that comes along with it.

“On warm days, I usually go by motorbike because it’s cheaper. But I’d rather use a taxi on these cold days because the conditions make my rheumatism act up,” shared Ms. Hoa from Doi Can ward, Ba Dinh district.

Ms. Ngoc from Ngoc Khanh ward, Ba Dinh district agrees, saying, “With temperatures falling to six or seven degrees Celsius, nobody can stand it. So these past weeks, when it’s been extremely cold, we take our children by taxi. Despite the cost, we feel reassured about their health and comfort.”

One person in a management position of a taxi company in Hanoi said that since it has become very cold, the demand for taxis has increased by 40% to 50%.

Even though companies have put more taxis on the road, they are having trouble meeting the demand.

One customer, Mr. Kien, complained, “I have always called Van Xuan taxis, and they always came on time. But recently I’ve had to wait so long at the switchboard that I’m forced to call another company.”

The rising demand has also driven up taxi fares, which have increased by between VND3,000 and VND4,000 (USD0.15-USD0.2) per kilometre.

One taxi driver, Mr. Nam, said, “I have to work all day long on these recent cold days because there were so many more clients. But my hard working came to pay off. My income has about doubled.”