Minibus drivers warned again

The Chisinau route administrators by tomorrow are to reach an amicable agreement with the minibus drivers so that they observe the speed limit, do not smoke and do not listen to loud music while driving and treat the passengers respectfully. Otherwise, the administrators will be forced by the City Hall to impose penalties and even fire the drivers, Info-Prim Neo reports. “The providers of transportation services are obliged to observe the traffic regulations,” Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca said in a meeting with minibus owners. “The employers blame the drivers, while the drivers blame the passengers. It seems as if the fare of 3 lei is more important than the behavior towards the passengers.” The parties agreed that the minibuses will stop only in authorized places. The traffic signs will be set up by October 15, when the agreement will come into force. Many of the route administrators doubted the plan would be successful. They said it would be chaos and there will be traffic jams if several minibuses stopped at stations simultaneously. It was also agreed that the timetable of the respective route will be placed in the minibus by October 1. The decision about the number of passengers allowed to travel on foot in one minibus will be decided in another meeting. About 50 accidents involving minibuses have happened in Chisinau since the start of this year. Two persons were killed and about 100 injured in them.