The number of buses that run daily on municipal routes has increased from 85 in 2020 to 145 in February 2024. Of these, 99 units serve suburban routes, while 46 – urban routes, IPN reports.
The Chisinau City Hall said that in 2019-2023, it opened, increased and extended the bus routes running to and from the suburban settlements following the procurement of 184 units.
Thus, in November 2019, it was decided to extend the itinerary of bus route No. 16 “Agrarian University – La Izvor Park” up to Vatra town. In March 2020, suburban routes No. 10 “Vasile Alecsandri St. - Grătiesti commune” and No. 28 “Vasile Alecsandri Street - Grătiesti commune - Hulboaca village” were taken over by the Urban Bus Company from the private carrier.
Since 2021, urban bus route No. 23 “Ismail St - Mircea cel Bătrân Blvd has been fully served by the Urban Bus Company. To cope with the large number of passengers, articulated buses were introduced on this route last year. The same change occurred on urban bus route Nr. 5 “Cuza Vodă Blvd – Bucovinei St”.
For the inhabitants of Stăuceni, suburban bus route no. 37 “Vasile Alecsandri Str – Stăuceni commune” was reopened in November 2021. In March 2022, suburban routes No. 18 “Ismail Str –Sângera town” and No. 44 “Ismail St - Revaca village” were extended to Donici St in Revaca.
In October the same year, bus route No. 18A was launched, replacing trolleybus route No. 31 “Chisinau, 31 August 1989 St – Sângera”. In August 2023, urban bus route No. 8 “N. Testemitanu Str– D. Cantemir Square” was introduced.
In 2023, six new bus routes were launched in the suburban settlements of Codru, Durlești, Bubuieci and Trușeni. At the beginning of October, the itinerary of municipal bus route No. 24 “Tighina St - Colonița village” was extended. At the request of residents and the local administration, the itinerary was extended to Vasile Lupu, Răsăritului and Valea Ungurului streets, where about 800 people live.
At the request of residents of Ghidighici village, an articulated bus was introduced on bus route No. 46, which ensures the transportation of a larger number of passengers, especially during peak hours.