Is a College Degree Required for Railway Transport Business?

Does having a university degree allow you to engage in railway transportation business?

According to Article 21 of Decree 65/2018/ND-CP on conditions for engaging in railway transportation business, the following are required:

Enterprises engaged in railway transportation business must meet the following conditions:

1. Have a department responsible for railway transport safety.

2. Have at least one person in charge of safety with a university degree in railway transportation and at least three years of direct experience in managing and operating railway transportation.

3. The person assigned principal responsibility for managing technical operations in transportation must have a university degree and at least three years of experience in operating railway transportation.

Accordingly, even if you have a university degree in railway transportation and have worked in this sector for more than three years, you are still not eligible to engage in railway transportation business due to the lack of a department responsible for railway transport safety.

What are the regulations on the service life of railway transportation vehicles?

Based on Article 18 of this Decree, as amended and supplemented by Clause 1, Article 1 of Decree 01/2022/ND-CP on the service life of railway transportation vehicles, the regulations are as follows:

1. For locomotives and passenger cars running on the main line of national railways, dedicated railways, urban railways: Not more than 40 years.

2. For freight cars running on the main line of national railways, dedicated railways: Not more than 45 years.

3. The regulations on the service life of railway transportation vehicles stipulated in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article do not apply to rescue and salvage operations, shunting within stations, ports, depots, within factory premises, inter-station transfers, steam locomotives hauling tourist trains, special flat cars serving security and defense transportation, and specialized vehicles moving on railways.

4. For imported used railway transportation vehicles: Only those used for no more than 10 years for passenger cars, urban railway locomotives and cars are allowed to be imported, and no more than 15 years for freight cars.

5. The service life of railway transportation vehicles is calculated from the date of issuance of the quality, technical safety, and environmental protection certificate by the registration organization or the issuance of the manufacturer's quality certificate.

6. Railway transportation vehicles specified in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article, when reaching the end of their service life, will be converted into non-service-life-regulated vehicles as specified in Clause 3 of this Article.

Sincerely!