Two Ho Chi Minh City students win iPhone 17s for frequent bus travel

Two students who made the most public bus trips in Ho Chi Minh City during the first half of October have won iPhone 17 smartphones worth about VND28 million (US$1,090) each.

The awards were presented Friday by the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Center, based on data from its payment and identification system.

The center identified 10 students with the highest number of valid bus trips between Oct. 1 and 15. Tran Thanh Luong, a student at the University of Transport in Ho Chi Minh City, topped the ranking and received an iPhone 17 with 256 GB of storage.

The other nine students were selected through a lucky draw. Le Quy, a student at the College of Radio and Television II, won the second iPhone 17 256 GB, provided by another sponsor. The remaining students received shopping vouchers worth VND1-2 million each.

Tran Thanh Luong (L) and Le Quy hold iPhone 17 awarded for their frequent bus travel, Nov. 6, 2026. Photo by Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Center

"I’ve taken the bus about 200 to 300 times (over Oct. 1-15)," Luong said. He regularly travels by bus to university and his part-time job. He also uses the journeys to observe transport management and operations, the field he is studying.

"I never imagined that riding the bus could lead to winning an iPhone," Quy said, adding that buses are a convenient way for students to get around.

Le Hoan, deputy director of the center, said this was the first time it had organized such a program. The initiative aims to encourage students and young people to use public buses and help ease traffic congestion. The center plans to continue it.

Ho Chi Minh City has offered free rides on 134 public bus routes since July 1. These routes have carried more than 40 million passengers since, nearly 50% more than during the same period last year.