Kyiv has technically sound buses that can be additionally put on routes, but due to a lack of drivers the city cannot fully use the available reserve. This was stated by Mayor Vitali Klitschko, commenting on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's instruction to prepare a free travel program and provide the capital with additional bus transport.
According to Klitschko, due to the stoppage of electric transport, the capital increased the number of bus routes to 129. They are served by 418 buses, with 685 drivers.
In addition, private carriers serve another 114 routes, on which 680 minibuses operate.
KP "Kyivpastrans" can additionally put 25 technically sound buses on the lines. However, for this it is necessary to attract at least 50 drivers with a category D license.
Klitschko explained that new employees must undergo internship on the routes. At the same time, the enterprise, according to him, due to the established limit cannot reserve additional drivers from mobilization.
"Buses to add, Kyiv has. Drivers – no!" - emphasized the mayor.
Separately, Klitschko provided calculations regarding the possibility of replacing the subway with ground transport in case of prolonged disruptions in its operation.
According to the mayor's estimate, to carry the same number of passengers served by the metro, up to 1020 buses would be needed. However, even such a number of transport would not be able to ensure similar regularity of movement due to traffic jams and the dependence of buses on the road situation.
The mayor also raised the issue of financing the free travel program proposed by the president.
According to Klitschko, the state has not compensated Kyiv in full for the costs of transporting passengers who use state-established benefits for 11 years. The mayor estimated the accumulated debt for the corresponding subvention at over 8 billion UAH.
Klitschko noted that the city finances preferential transportation from its own budget. He called on the central authorities to first settle the issue of compensation for these costs before introducing a new free travel program.
The stated amount of debt is the mayor's estimate. His statement does not provide a detailed calculation, and the government's position on this demand is currently unknown.
As previously reported "Kurs Ukrainy", on November 8, Zelenskyy instructed the Prime Minister to present a free travel program in Kyiv's urban ground transport and to ensure a sufficient reserve of buses in case of disruptions in the metro or problems with bridges across the Dnipro.
The instruction came after Russian attacks on the capital's transport infrastructure, including damage to the Northern Bridge. The government is also working on reserve transport schemes and possible changes to road traffic organization.
However, free travel in Kyiv has not yet been introduced. The start date of the program, its sources of funding, the list of routes, and the procedure for compensating carriers' costs remain undefined.
Based on materials: Vitali Klitschko
