Conditions for granting a train driving license on the railway in Vietnam

Conditions for granting a train driving license on the railway in Vietnam (Internet image)

On June 30, 2023, the Minister of Transport issued Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT stipulating standards, tasks, and powers for railway employee positions directly serving train operations; content and training program for training facilities for railway staff positions directly serving train operations; conditions, content, testing procedures, and issuance, re-issuance, and revocation of railway driving licenses.

1. Conditions for granting a train driving license on the railway in Vietnam

Specifically, Article 28 of Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT stipulates that people who are granted a license to drive trains on the railway must meet the following conditions:

- For train drivers on currently operating railways

+ Be of age as prescribed in Point a, Clause 3, Article 36 of the Law on Railway; be healthy enough to drive railway vehicles according to regulations of the Minister of Health;

+ Have a degree or certificate of elementary level or higher in driving railway vehicles appropriate to the type of vehicle tested by the training facility;

+ Must have worked safely as a train assistant for 24 consecutive months or more for the type of train driving license specified in Points a, b, and c, Clause 1, Article 27 of Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT; 12 months or more for the type of driving license specified in Point d, Clause 1, Article 27 of Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT;

+ Have passed the test and was assessed by the testing council to issue a driving license (hereinafter referred to as the testing council) as meeting the requirements as prescribed in Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT.

- For the first train driver on a newly put-in-operation urban railway with technology used for the first time in Vietnam

+ Be of age as prescribed in Point a, Clause 3, Article 36 of the Railway Law; be healthy enough to drive railway vehicles according to regulations of the Minister of Health;

+ Have a degree or certificate of elementary level or higher in driving railway vehicles appropriate to the type of vehicle being tested issued by a Vietnamese training facility; or a license or certificate to drive a railway vehicle suitable for the type of vehicle being tested issued by a foreign organization through the project's training and technology transfer process;

+ Qualified for testing and assessed by the testing council as satisfactory according to regulations in Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT

2. The agency that issues train driving licenses on the railway in Vietnam

Pursuant to Article 29 of Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT, the agency issuing train driving licenses on railways is as follows:

- Vietnam Railways Department organizes tests, issues, reissues, and revokes train driving licenses on national railways, urban railways, and specialized railways, except for the provisions in Clause 2, Article 29 of Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT.

- People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities with specialized railways and urban railways specified in Appendix III issued with Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT (hereinafter referred to as the Provincial People's Committee) to organize testing, issue, reissue, and revoke train driving licenses on urban railways and specialized railways according to regulations in Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT.

Appendix III, issued together with Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT, stipulates List of People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities authorized to organize testing, issuance, re-issuance, and revocation of train driving licenses on urban railways and specialized railways from January 1, 2025 as follows:

3. Regulations on railway driving licenses in Vietnam

According to Article 27 of Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT, regulations on train driving licenses on railways are as follows:

- Driving licenses on national railways and specialized railways include the following types:

+ Diesel locomotive driving license (also for driving diesel rolling stock);

+ Electric locomotive driving license (also for driving electric rolling stock);

+ Steam locomotive driving license;

+ License to drive specialized vehicles.

- License to drive trains on urban railways includes:

+ Electric train driver's license (also used for driving electric locomotives);

+ Diesel locomotive driving license;

+ License to drive specialized vehicles;

+ The train driving license mentioned in Points a, b, c, Clause 1, Article 27 of Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT is issued to foreign train drivers.

- A boat driving license is valid for 10 years from the date of issue. The train driving license form is specified in Appendix II, issued with Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT.

Appendix II

- Use a boat driving license

+ Train drivers are only allowed to drive the type of railway vehicle specified in their train driver's license and must carry their license when driving the train;

+ Train drivers on national railways are allowed to drive corresponding vehicles on specialized railways. Specialized railway businesses are responsible for providing training and professional testing for these train drivers.

+ If a train driver does not drive a train according to the license for 12 months or more, that license is no longer valid. If he/she wants to take on this position again, he/she must follow the procedure according to the provisions of Article 30 and Article 32 of Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT.

More details can be found in Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT, taking effect on September 1, 2023. Documents that expire from the effective date of Circular 15/2023/TT-BGTVT include:

+ Circular 33/2018/TT-BGTVT

+ Circular 07/2020/TT-BGTVT

+ Article 3 of Circular 24/2020/TT-BGTVT

+ Circular 05/2021/TT-BGTVT

+ Circular 25/2021/TT-BGTVT

Ho Quoc Tuan

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE