As mentioned in the last article, the transport route from HCM to Tra Vinh would go on Co Chien Ferry (across Co Chien River). The ferry is located on Highway 60, connects two provinces of Ben Tre and Tra Vinh. It was built before 1975 but suspended its operation in a long time until 2008 when it was in use again. It was not until 2008 that Co Chien Bridge was completed, making the number of vehicles running on the ferry reduce.
Due to the high number of vehicles, frequent congestion occurs on the ferry, especially in holidays and festivals. With veteran drivers, getting through the ferry is rather easy but young drivers will need help from experienced ones to ensure the safety.
Diu said: “I am used to drive on mountainous terrains but that is the first time I have ever driven on a ferry, so I feel a little bit worried. At that time, I let other trucks go first and watched them. I have accumulated some experience as follows:
1. How to get on and off the ferry safely:
- The line-up consists of many different lanes. Your ticker will tell you which land you are to go into. After choosing the correct one, park as close as possible to the vehicle in front of you.
- Only drives are seated in trucks when getting on and off the ferry (except for the old, the disabled, the sick…).
- The wait will be a while and it is not good to continue to release harmful emissions in the environment.
- Follow the vehicles ahead of you onto the ferry. You may need to make a variety of complex and tight turns onto various ramps and overpasses.
- As you enter the ferry, continue to fellow the direction of the crew until you get off the ferry.
2. Choose a safe parking spot:
- The crew will direct you to the parking lot. It is essential that you follow their directions as it is their job to ensure that the weight of all vehicles is distributed evenly throughout the ship.
- Once you have been directed to your final parking spot, park your vehicle within 24 cm of the vehicle in front of you. This will maximize the number of vehicles that can be fit on the ferry.
- If the crossing gets a bit bumpy, the movement may set off your car alarm, and lead to nuisance and potential embarrassment.
- When it is time to disembark, do not start your engine until the other vehicles in your lane begin to move. This will reduce the emissions in the ferry.
- Goods on the vehicles need tied and packaged carefully to ensure their quality and safety.
Co Chien Ferry is now replaced by Co Chien Bridge so vehicles will find it more convenient to travel. However, when transporting goods to the west and Cuu Long River Delta, drivers must move on other ferries so we hope that the abovementioned information will help young drivers to complete their journey with efficiency and safety./.
