Mayor Ion Ceban said that Chisinau is the city with the lowest public transport fares among all the civilized countries. The decision to increase fares has always been unpopular, but he assumes this decision as it is the only solution for developing public transport in Chisinau and for avoiding the bankruptcy of the Urban Bus Company and the Electric Transport Company, IPN reports.
“We lay emphasis on the reliable passenger who stands to gain from the adjustment of fares and the approval of the social package. Following the rise in fuel prices, the subsidization costs for the two public transport companies that are paid by the Chisinau City Hall rose from 700 million lei to 1 billion lei and this endangers the further functioning and development of the two companies,” the mayor told a news conference.
According to him, 240 new units of transport were bought and brought to Chisinau during a year. The old units of transport almost disappeared from the streets of the capital city. New buses run on routes in the suburban settlements. The depots of the Urban Bus Company and the Electric Transport Company were repaired and modernized and conditions were created for employees at the workplace and also in canteens and changing rooms, with about 700 million lei being spent for the purpose.
“We increased the salaries of employees as these were small and non-attractive. Together with the partners, we set up 358 new stations in the municipality of Chisinau. According to the project to adjust the prices to the realities, which was recommended by experts, a broad social package is to be introduced. All the pensioners – 200,000 persons – will travel free of charge. Until now, only a limited number of persons travelled free, while another part bought season tickets at a discount. 40,000 children and students up to the fifth grade will travel free. Now only children younger than seven can travel free. About 18 categories of persons, including vulnerable groups, will travel free,” explained Ion Ceban.
According to the mayor, the proposed price of 6 lei will be common for Chisinau and for the suburban settlements. With the bought season ticket, a person can travel from the suburbs to Chisinau and back, either by bus or by trolleybus. “The person who travels by season ticket can travel daily by any unit of transport without spending additional funds, if this decides to go by trolleybus or by bus, in the districts of the capital city or its suburbs,” stated Ion Ceban.
The municipality proposed a reference fare of 6 lei for a trip by public transport in Chisinau. In the case of season tickets, the price will be lower. In the case of season tickets for a month, the price of a trip will be 3.9 lei, while in the case of a season ticket for three months – 3.3 lei. If the season ticket is valid for half a year, the trip will cost 2.7 lei.
