Hue etiquette guide to govern, upgrade cyclo force

The soon to be completed code is expected to affect over 1,000 operators within the first quarter, Phan Ngoc Tho, Chairman of Thua Thien Hue Province, told cyclo drivers Monday.

Specific regulations will govern how drivers treat passengers, public price lists displayed on vehicles, and uniforms.

All violations are expected to be strictly dealt with.

The province views cyclo operators as a major driving force behind Hue tourism, with many foreign and local visitors preferring the three-wheeled pedicab for a city tour.

However, many tourists have been conned by cyclo drivers who overcharge, Tho said, adding the code would help all operators work together as "tour guides for Hue."

In one typical case, a cyclo driver was fined VND1 million ($44) for overcharging a Vietnamese American couple $66 instead of $4 for a six-km ride in June 2018.

Cyclo operator Duong Khanh told the meeting "financial difficulties have put pressure on many drivers, forcing them to spontaneously raise fares and use crude language in front of passengers due to stress."

Tho said authorities would rely on passenger response and inspection as well as reports from Hue Tourism Cyclo Union to monitor driver behavior.

Hue acted as capital of Vietnam under Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 until the end of feudal rule across Vietnam in 1945.

Thanks to the Imperial Citadel and royal tombs, the city is a top tourist destination that attracted 4.8 million visitors last year, up 11 percent against 2018, including 2.18 million foreigners.

In June last year, Hue equipped its cyclos with trash bins to boost its image as a clean, green destination.

Tourists who use cyclos can throw their leftovers in the trash bins, which are emptied by cyclo drivers each day. Funding for the initiative came from Hue Labor Confederation.