Managed Traffic

These days major urban centers are implementing things such as a "congestion" tax to manage traffic during the work day. Examples include London, which is attempting to expand its current congestion tax to levy higher rates on 'Chelsea Tractors' (aka SUVs), Bloomberg's plan (recently defeated) to impose a congestion tax in NYC, and Beijing banning cars via a lottery, in preparation for the '08 Olympics.

Here in Hanoi the traffic is pretty bad. But just imagine how bad it could be without the current congestion controls. Within the city delivery trucks, sized more like lorries than American delivery vehicles, are prohibited during the morning and evening rush. The morning rush is between 6am and 8:30am and the evening rush is between 4pm and 8pm. These smaller Hyundai Porter and Suzuki Hi-Jet trucks have a a bit easier time than the bigger delivery trucks, which can only travel the streets from 9-4 and then after 9pm or so. Every bit helps, I guess.