The implementation of the Program should bring the market of freight and passenger road transportation in line with European standards. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure — Head of the Apparatus Volodymyr Kornienko and the Head of the State Administration of Motor Transport Serhiy Dobrokhod during the videoconference "Priority Directions for the Development of Railway and Road Transport", which took place at the Government Communication Center on August 11, 2011.
As Volodymyr Kornienko noted, currently about 126 thousand legal entities operate in the field of road transportation, and a significant part of them is not able to guarantee proper quality of services. In this regard, the implementation of the Concept and the Program will make it possible to renew vehicle fleets, reduce the number of illegal carriers, increase the competitiveness of domestic companies on the foreign market, and, above all, strengthen transportation safety.
"For the Ministry, the priority is to ensure the safety of passenger transportation by any mode of transport. Therefore, we put this aspect first, regardless of the commercial component," emphasized Volodymyr Kornienko.
In particular, to achieve the set goals, the Ministry of Infrastructure insists on the consolidation of carriers and the exclusion from operation of vehicles converted in violation of established requirements.
The Program for the Development of Motor Transport, which will be prepared on the basis of the approved Concept, is expected to introduce restrictions on the use of small-class buses for passenger transportation. "We do not advocate a complete rejection of them — such vehicles should operate on short routes and on directions with low passenger traffic," explained Serhiy Dobrokhod.
The consolidation of carriers will improve transportation safety and the quality of services provided: companies with a large number of vehicles can create proper conditions for the work and training of drivers, including traffic safety services, medical support, and professional development. "Our requirements for carriers correspond to European ones — and it is impossible to fulfill them having only one vehicle," summarized Serhiy Dobrokhod.
