Closing of minibuses in Moscow. Reform of passenger traffic in Moscow: implications

In the capital of the Russian Federation there is a reform of urban transport, aimed at optimizing the communication system. Its main part is the closure of minibuses in Moscow. Department of Transport reduced their number from 400 to 211, that is, almost twice. The authorities said that only those directions that duplicated the bus routes were removed. However, already on the first day, many residents of the capital criticized the reform. Closure of buses in Moscow, they said, created only inconveniences, and the lack of information on new directions only aggravated the situation. The authorities are not going to put an end to the innovations and assure the residents that they just need to get used to the new scheme of trolley and bus traffic.

The Meaning of Transport Reform

Closure of buses in Moscow since August 15 is associated with the implementation of the program to improve passenger traffic. From this day on, blue buses with the logo "Moscow transport" appeared in the city. Many residents did not know anything about the beginning of the reform. Many at first did not understand where the shuttle buses in Moscow had disappeared. Then negative reviews began to appear on the Internet. Closure of buses in Moscow provoked a crush in public transport. However, the authorities insist that people just need to adapt to new directions of the movement. The minibuses in Moscow disappeared completely in accordance with the plan of the officials. In the new transport, you can pay for travel and use the benefits. There were blue minibuses in Moscow, the routes of which do not duplicate each other, as was often the case with the old system. Reform should completely eliminate illegal companies in the transportation market in the capital. This should make Moscow safer, since it was the latter that often made stops in the wrong places, violated the rules of the road and refused to insure the life and health of its passengers. Many private carriers cared only about their profits. Therefore, residents should not ask: "Return minibuses in Moscow", and rejoice at the establishment of a single standard. During the reform, illegal carriers were liquidated. Now the routes serve only eight companies that won the open competition. Among them:

• "Autocarse".
• Alfa-Grant.
• "Gepart".
• GorTaxi.
• «Taxi park №20».
• TC "Rico".
• "Transavtoliz".
• "Trans-Wei."

What happened to the shuttles in Moscow

All unique commercial directions have been preserved. They canceled buses in Moscow only in cases where they duplicated the already existing flights of other carriers. Now all companies work exclusively under a state contract. Therefore, what happened to the minibuses in Moscow, in the future should improve the quality of transportation and safety on the roads. Each direction is now controlled by a special headquarters. This organization includes city departments and representatives of companies involved in transportation. The headquarters deals with the proposals of passengers and the satisfaction of their requests regarding changes in routes and the introduction of additional stops. Innovations were not introduced only in Zelenograd and New Moscow. In these two districts the carriers continue to operate according to the old scheme. Bringing land transport to uniform standards is the task that all the developing mega-cities set themselves. After the reform and the Muscovites there is an opportunity to immediately distinguish the machines of legal carriers and make a choice in favor of a quality service provider.

Why did you need new buses?

After the minibuses in Moscow have disappeared, officials expect that soon the concept will disappear into the past. New minibuses meet a common standard. If you look at what minibuses were canceled in Moscow, it can be noted that they did not meet the new requirements. In addition, they could not be paid with such city tickets as "Troika", "90 minutes" and "United". The price for the journey was set by the carrier company itself. They worked without a clear timetable, and stops were made almost anywhere with a violation of all kinds of traffic rules at the request of passengers. Now the situation has radically changed. In the "new service model" there are also stops on demand, but they are clearly regulated. As the reform has just begun, it has not been without errors. In most areas, where the minibus did not have an alternative, new blue minibuses appeared, but there are also gaps. Another problem for Muscovites was that drivers often stopped to stay in their usual places. Also in the early days there were no signs with numbers of buses. Therefore, the new reform at the initial stage has earned a negative image in the eyes of ordinary people.

Requirements and standards

The minibuses were an uncomfortable and insecure mode of transport. They were replaced after the reform by comfortable buses for 20, 40 or 85 people. After the cancellation of minibuses in Moscow, legal carriers can easily be distinguished by the logo and the blue color of their cars. The reform has increased the number of passenger seats by almost a third. The state contract determines the class of vehicles on the voyage. Now in each bus, validators are installed, which allow you to pay for it with standard tickets. This will allow passengers to be proud of saving about 30% of transportation costs. Beneficiaries will also be able to use their social cards in new minibuses. Machines of medium and large capacity are equipped with special ramps. This is another step towards improving the quality of life of low-mobility citizens. Each bus has a special place for wheelchairs and wheelchairs. The new cars are equipped with the GLONASS system, cameras, a voice warning system for stops, climate control and a screen with a running line, which shows the temperature in the cabin, the time and name of the next stop. Soon, instead of wondering where the shuttle buses in Moscow disappeared, people will be able to check the location of any new minibus in the Yandex.Transport application.

Liability for violations

The work of the carriers is closely monitored by the department. All blue minibuses in Moscow, the routes of which are strictly regulated, run on a strict schedule. For violation of the state contract, the carrier receives penalty points. At the end of the month they are summed up, and this number affects the company's remuneration. If in five consecutive months the carrier earns 500 points, the contract is terminated.

About the drivers

Carriers who win an open competition, themselves determine the requirements for hired personnel. Usually, drivers with long experience are taken without getting into accidents of driving similar types of transport. They also need to know the basics of a government contract regulating the activities of carrier companies. Drivers of large and medium-sized buses are required to install a ramp and help low-mobility citizens. They do not have the right to sell tickets while traveling, travel at a speed greater than 60 kilometers per hour and stop at unregulated places. However, in Moscow there is still a shortage of drivers, so you often have to be satisfied with the staff that is available.

Suburban transportation

After we figured out which minibuses were canceled in Moscow and why it was done, the question immediately arises whether such a reform will be carried out in the regions. The Moscow region is a separate subject of the Russian Federation. At the moment, the reform does not apply to it. Therefore, for example, the Moscow-Balashikha shuttle still remains. It is logical to expect any changes, but they are a matter of joint competence of the region and the capital. Officially, they still do not know anything about them.

Problems of reform implementation

At the heart of the transformation of the transportation system is the concern for the safety of Muscovites. Therefore, it is difficult to argue that the idea that underlies the reform is good. But untimely and incomplete information of passengers created a negative image of the new system in the bud. The date of cancellation of minibuses was long unknown. No one knew that the old system would cease to exist on August 15, 2016. This created turmoil. In addition, the exact schedule of traffic in the early days could not be sustained. People were not ready for new stops and the lack of transportation in some areas. However, one must understand that this is only the initial stage of the reform implementation. Staffs constantly adjust routes and consider the possibility of introducing more convenient stops for passengers.

How many cars will remain?

Since August 15, 2016 in Moscow, 370 routes have been closed. As part of the reform, 63 open auctions were held. As a result, the city now serves 211 routes. Most of the unique areas have been preserved, but there are still some gaps. Such a reduction of routes was achieved by eliminating flights that duplicate each other. Intervals of traffic did not increase, but buses themselves became much more comfortable. In 2015, the bus used 520 thousand people. The city had about 4500 cars. At the beginning of August 216, there were 320 routes left in Moscow serviced by private companies. And 37 of them accounted for Zelenograd and New Moscow, two areas unaffected by the reform. The remaining 282 routes employ 2,400 vehicles. The reform came into force on August 15. Blue minibuses will start to travel on 208 routes. Suburban routes will continue to be serviced according to the old scheme.

Reduction of advertising in transport

The new transportation system deals with eliminating obsessive ads. The prohibition concerns advertising on doors, windows, the top part of a body, seats and a floor of buses. Only ads on the case are allowed. In addition, drivers were banned from posting ad-hoc advertising. The format and text of the ads is established by the Department of Transport. The drivers themselves now have no right to attach various stickers in the car in which they work. Earlier, many passengers pointed to the offensive nature of the latter.

Convenience of transportation

It does not matter to ordinary people how many minibuses in Moscow are left. Much more interesting to them how long they will have to wait. The traffic interval of most of the new minibuses did not increase. It is about 15-20 minutes. However, there are directions in which the bus will have to wait half an hour.

Expected consequences of the reform

If you look at the reviews, buses in Moscow were popular with many metropolitan residents. Many say that they were much more convenient than the new blue buses. However, for September-October, people began to gradually get used to the new system. This is evidenced by the appearance of positive reviews about it. People are satisfied with the new clean buses, courteous drivers and the opportunity to use the standard travel. The most satisfied with benefits recipients, who now do not necessarily go down in the subway or look for a suitable trolley or tram.

Return the minibus in Moscow!

To date, we can state the fact that the reform is only at the initial stage, so it is impossible to make unambiguous conclusions about whether it has made the city safer. Since early 2016, more than 3000 illegal buses have been arrested in the capital. The latest innovation was the introduction of a uniform form for drivers of updated blue minibuses. About two thousand cars were equipped with alarm buttons. It is located next to the driver's seat and helps him to react quickly to abnormal situations in the cabin. The signal is sent to the control center console. Since all new buses are equipped with the GLONASS system, the police can easily find them on the map and promptly leave for the place, as well as other emergency services. The main problem with the new system is that some of the routes did not have new machines, and the old ones were canceled. This created huge problems for people living in such areas of the capital. Another complication for passengers is that new buses do not stop in places where they are used to. However, the system continues to be adjusted, so it is expected that soon it will become much more convenient.