For many people, Tet is a journey home - a time to temporarily set aside work and daily worries to reunite with family. But for the operations staff of Deoca Group, Tet is a very special working season.

What many people may not realize is that behind the smooth operation of tunnels and roads during Tet are shifts that run day and night, these are the people who choose to stay on the frontline, quietly remaining at their posts to ensure the safety of millions of journeys home.

Behind the smooth operation of tunnels and roads are shifts that continue day and night.

Tet is always a time when traffic volume increases dramatically. The vehicles heading home, the journeys of reunion, and the joy of family gatherings all pass through tunnels and roads operated by Deoca Group. This is both a source of pride and a great responsibility for the operations teams. While people across the country return home for Tet, operations staff step into their shifts with the mindset of being ready to carry out their duties to ensure the safety of others.

At the Deo Ca Tunnel Operations Center, Mr. Dinh Viet Cuong – Director of the Deo Ca Tunnel Operation Management Enterprise arrives very early to review operation plans. According to Mr. Cuong, the days leading up to Tet are the most demanding period, when traffic volume increases sharply and safety requirements must be maintained at the highest level.

Mr. Cuong said that during Tet 2025, about 10,000 vehicles passed through the Deo Ca Tunnel each day. However, in the days approaching Lunar New Year 2026, the number rose to nearly 20,000 vehicles per day. To ensure absolute safety and uninterrupted operation around the clock, all departments include the central control team, technical staff, fire prevention and rescue forces, to patrol and maintenance teams, are arranged to work in continuous shifts.

During Tet 2026, about 20,000 vehicles pass through Deo Ca Tunnel each day.

For those in this profession, they accept an incomplete Tet holiday so that the “lifeline” of the infrastructure remains uninterrupted, ensuring that people can return home safely to their families. “Tunnel operation is a job that does not allow mistakes. Even a small lapse can affect the safety of hundreds of vehicles traveling through the tunnel,” Mr. Cuong shared.

Within this quiet but constant work is Mr. Le Thanh Dien – Head of the Power Grid Operations Team, who has spent 15 years working at Deo Ca Tunnel. For Mr. Dien, the electrical system is not only for lighting inside the tunnel, but the “lifeline” of the entire facility. Lighting, ventilation, surveillance cameras, communication systems, and fire protection all depend on the stability of the power supply.

“The closer it gets to Tet, the greater the pressure. When all equipment must operate at high intensity, inspection and monitoring of every technical parameter become even stricter. Even a small malfunction can affect the entire system and pose safety risks for people and vehicles,” Mr. Dien said, adding that his 15 years in the profession have also meant many springs arriving late for him.

Yet for Mr. Dien and other operations personnel, as long as the roads remain open and the tunnels remain safe - helping millions of people shorten their journeys home - Tet is complete in their own way. “Seeing everyone excited to go home makes my heart joyful as well. But every profession has its responsibilities, and once we accept them, we must fulfill them,” he shared.

Not only at Deo Ca Tunnel, but across more than 600 kilometers of expressways and national highways, along with 31 kilometers of road tunnels operated by Deoca personnel, strict safety and operational measures were maintained throughout the 2026 Lunar New Year period.

At the Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway, traffic volume in the days leading up to Tet rose to nearly 50,000 vehicles per day. This route carries a very high traffic density, while its design includes only two lanes in each direction and lacks emergency stopping lanes, with emergency bays spaced about 5 kilometers apart. Even a minor incident could lead to prolonged congestion.

During peak Tet days, traffic on the Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway reaches nearly 50,000 vehicles per day.

Therefore, operations forces on the route must maintain the highest level of readiness during peak days. Each shift is reinforced with additional personnel, and continuous patrols are conducted to promptly detect and handle incidents. Monitoring through camera systems and communication among duty teams is maintained continuously to ensure all developments along the route remain under control. There is no room for delay or complacency, as behind every incident are thousands of vehicles waiting for the road to reopen so they can continue their journey home.

Meanwhile, on the Cam Lam – Vinh Hao Expressway, traffic during peak Tet days reaches about 25,000 vehicles per day. In particular, Phase 1 of the Vung Mountain Tunnel is currently operating with only one tunnel tube serving both directions, requiring operations staff to carefully manage traffic flow to prevent head-on collisions and ensure absolute safety.

During peak days, traffic increases several times compared to normal days. All information regarding traffic flow, system status, and potential risks must be updated fully and accurately. Few people realize that while many families are gathering together, Deoca personnel are quietly ensuring that traffic continues without interruption and that every journey home remains safe.

On the Cam Lam – Vinh Hao Expressway, traffic during peak Tet days reaches about 25,000 vehicles per day.

Mr. Vo Trung Tin – Shift Leader at the Deo Ca Tunnel Operations Center still vividly remembers the moment during the days leading up to Tet when Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Deoca Group, unexpectedly visited the control room to see the team. The handshakes and simple inquiries about work and family provided great encouragement for the entire shift working through Tet.

“The closeness and care shown by the Group’s leader gave us more strength and enthusiasm to stay at our posts and ensure safe and smooth journeys for vehicles,” Mr. Tin shared emotionally.

As the moment of the New Year approaches, lights in the operations centers remain on, and monitoring screens continue to track every movement along each kilometer of tunnel and roadway. Operations personnel remain at their posts, continuing their shifts. They do not celebrate Tet with family meals, but with the smooth flow of traffic and the safety of every journey. Ensuring that spring arrives safely along every road of the country - that is the unique and deeply proud Tet of Deoca personnel on the frontline of operations.

By Thien Nam