HÀ NỘI — Pick-up trucks weighing up to 3.5 tonnes could be allowed to fall under the same traffic regulations as passenger cars under a new proposal by the Việt Nam Register (VR). 

The proposal, which has been submitted to the Ministry of Construction for review, would allow pick-up trucks and panel vans of up to 3.5 tonnes to circulate under the same rules as passenger cars, without changing their classification.

This is because if reclassified as passenger cars, these vehicles would be subject to the same special consumption tax and registration fee rates, significantly increasing ownership costs for consumers and potentially affecting manufacturers’ product development strategies.

Changing the vehicle classification would require most existing lightweight pick-up truck models to undergo type-approval certification procedures again. They would also need to obtain new assessments of their technical and emissions standards.

The VR noted that inspections show pick-up trucks and panel vans with a gross vehicle weight of up to 3.5 tonnes have operating speeds, safety features and overall dimensions comparable to many passenger vehicles, such as multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) or large sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

Based on recommendations from the Department for Roads of Việt Nam (DRVN), VR proposed amendments to Decree No 165/2024, which provides guidelines for the enforcement of the Law on Road Traffic, and Article 77 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety. 

Pending the amendment, the construction ministry has requested that the DRVN and local authorities facilitate the circulation of these vehicles under rules similar to those applied to passenger cars, in order to minimise disruption to businesses and the public. Hà Nội and Hải Phòng City have already adopted this approach.

Dr Khương Kim Tạo, a transport expert and former deputy chief of the office of the National Traffic Safety Committee, says this proposal is reasonable and reflects current traffic realities.

Speaking to Voice of Vietnam (VOV), he noted that the primary function of these vehicles is clearly passenger transport. The cargo bed is typically compact, enclosed and used for luggage or small goods, rather than bulky construction materials.

Moreover, driving licence categories are already based on gross vehicle weight, he added.

Tạo added that any changes to the classification of lightweight pick-up trucks should clearly distinguish between taxation and traffic management purposes.

In the past, vehicle classifications were designed primarily to address tax policies, he explained. To qualify for lower tax rates, some double-cab pick-up models were categorised as trucks based on their cargo area and payload capacity.

However, those calculations can create complications when applied to traffic management, according to Tạo.

“It makes little sense to require a pick-up truck carrying five passengers to share lanes with heavy trucks on highways, or prohibit it from entering urban roads,” said the transport expert. 

Addressing concerns that allowing pick-up trucks to be treated like passenger cars would give owners a double advantage because they were purchased under more favourable tax rates, Tạo said the issue should be resolved through coordination among relevant authorities.

In his opinion, allowing pick-up trucks of up to 3.5 tonnes to operate like passenger cars should be viewed as a policy adjustment that benefits the public.

“More importantly, this policy would make traffic management more coherent, consistent and less rigid,” Tạo said. — VNS