31.01.2023

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting on January 31 on the introduction of a new public transport system in the cities of Tashkent, Nukus and regional centers.

Public transport is an important social service that reduces distances, saves money and time for the population, and improves the quality of life. Every day more than 10 million people in Uzbekistan use public transport services.

In the President's Address it was specified that 2 thousand buses would be purchased in 2023 in order to improve the quality of passenger transportation. However, as the President noted at the meeting, without changing the current system of work in the transport departments and local bus fleets it will not be possible to provide services that meet the demands of the population, no matter how many buses are purchased.

New houses, schools, kindergartens, hospitals and other institutions are being built in all regions. However, the transport sector has not kept up with the pace of these changes and does not meet the requirements of modern development.

In particular, in some regional centers there are no plans for the development of public transport. Buses are used to running during peak hours of the day, as transport companies are tied to the daily revenue plan. At other times, passengers have to wait a long time for a bus or take a taxi.

In this regard, the meeting discussed proposals to improve the quality of service by changing the system of work in the field.

This way the practice of assigning a daily revenue plan will be cancelled. Funds will be allocated to carriers depending on the distance covered by the bus and passenger satisfaction with the quality of service. Quality of service will be evaluated by the criteria of convenience and sanitary condition of buses, their arrival at stops without delays.

The following year this system will be launched in the cities of Tashkent, Samarkand, Andijan and Urgench, and next year in other regional centers and the city of Nukus.

The Presideent stressed that public transport must be convenient for residents and attractive to entrepreneurs.

Existing bus routes must be reviewed with an allowance for the needs of the population. The President noted that it is necessary to conduct surveys among local residents, to study the needs and preferences of the population.

A systematic renewal of the transport fleet is also important. Proposals to stimulate this process were announced at the meeting.

In particular, the novelty of buses will be defined as the main criteria in public tenders on the routes of public transport. The annual formation of the funds paid to the carriers will include the costs for the renewal of 20 percent of the bus fleet.  

In addition, entrepreneurs will be allowed to pay value-added tax on imported new buses in installments. Privileged credit for the purchase of buses will be available for up to 10 years.

Ensuring unimpeded movement of public transport on roads is an urgent issue.

The city of Tashkent has developed a program to increase the capacity of intersections by creating a separate lane for buses on 73 central streets. This will increase the average speed of buses by 1.5 times and eliminate tardiness.

Regional khokims have been instructed to approve and start implementing a similar program to improve transport infrastructure in the capital. It is indicated on the need to provide them with the priority of public transport on the roads and intersections, the creation of conditions for passengers and entrepreneurs at bus stops.