Experts called the refusal of cash payments in transport necessary.

      The expert group on public transport in the Nizhny Novgorod agglomeration discussed socially significant tasks planned for implementation in the capital of the Volga region this year. The most lively discussion arose during the discussion of the refusal to pay for travel in cash on public transport in Nizhny Novgorod. According to Denis Ryabinin, the deputy minister of transport and highways of the region, currently, less than 2% of all passengers pay in cash for travel. Their number is constantly decreasing and is expected to be around 1% by July. "For a long time, the problem was the equipping of private carriers' vehicles with stationary validators. The situation has been turned around, and today only 18 buses on all routes do not have such devices. This issue will be resolved this month by LLC 'Citicard.' There are two remaining tasks: reducing the repair time for broken equipment and stopping the practice of drivers turning off terminals. These tasks are also being addressed," noted Denis Ryabinin.

      Regarding broken validators, the Ministry of Transport intends to require carriers to have specialists on staff who can quickly organize repairs on-site. Additionally, next year's government contracts will include a requirement for carriers to install not one, but two stationary terminals in the cabins of mid-class vehicles. At the same time, new methods of cashless payment for travel in vehicles are emerging. As stated by Yuri Ryabikov, the director of LLC 'Citicard,' testing of payment for travel via Bluetooth will begin soon in the buses of 'Nizhny Novgorod Passenger Transport.' With this payment method, internet will not be needed. Passengers will receive an electronic ticket. For tourists and advocates of cash payments, there are plans to organize the sale of one-time (non-replenishable) travel passes. Agreements have already been reached on the possibility of purchasing such tickets at the railway station and the bus station of the TPU 'Kanavinsky.' Similar negotiations are underway with popular retail chains.

      During the work of the expert group, the issue of abandoning the printing of paper travel documents and transitioning to electronic tickets was raised. This possibility was supported by the heads of transport companies. Oleg Driga, the general director of JSC 'NPAT,' informed the experts that the company spends about 9.5 million rubles a year just on purchasing paper rolls for validators, not counting maintenance and repair costs. Eugene Grabovsky, the head of LLC 'Ecological Projects,' confirmed a 30% increase in the cost of receipt tape over the past year. Both carriers noted periodic conflicts between passengers and drivers due to validator malfunctions, tape jams, and other issues related to paper tickets.

      During the discussion, opposing opinions were also voiced. According to some experts, the practice of abandoning "paper" in other regions leads to an increase in fare evaders, which negatively affects the carriers themselves. Denis Ryabinin agreed that there are several problems that may accompany the abandonment of paper tickets. These include limitations on the number of payments for travel using one bank card, the inability to see the balance of remaining trips on discounted passes, difficulties with paying for transfers, etc. Therefore, according to him, this step should be approached thoughtfully. Currently, the regulatory documentation has been prepared by the ministry, but detailed development of mechanisms for interaction with passengers is necessary.

      Overall, the members of the expert group understood the need to abandon cash payments for travel. "The issue of abolishing cash in public transport has long been overdue; it is a trend of the times. The topic of abolishing paper tickets is also gradually maturing, but it really needs to be approached with utmost caution. In both cases, it is necessary to consider the preparation for innovations by both the carriers and the controllers," stated Stanislav Prokopovich, the chairman of the permanent commission of the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma on transport and road management.

      Deputy Chair of the Public Chamber of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Elena Lenina suggested testing the abolition of paper tickets first on one type of public transport or specific routes. In her opinion, there are several barriers that need to be removed before the full launch of the system. "Firstly, it is awareness: passengers need a convenient tool for monitoring payment for trips. Secondly, it is the control of payment itself: the need to verify transactions through a digital trail without paper tickets. And, most importantly, during the implementation of the innovation, do not harm people," stated the public figure.

      Another important topic of the meeting was the transition of taxi services to updated work standards. Earlier, the Ministry of Transport and Highways prepared a draft law establishing requirements for the color scheme of taxi bodies. According to the document, the main colors for legal carriers are proposed to be orange. According to the developers of the draft law, the unification of the color solution will allow for effective identification of official taxi vehicles in the general transport flow, which will increase safety and convenience for passengers, as well as simplify the work of regulatory authorities.

      "First and foremost, it is about the fact that vehicles of legal carriers with approved colors must have a certificate of passing technical inspection and be included in the approved register. Their drivers must also be officially registered in accordance with current legislation, undergo technical inspection, and passengers must be insured in case of accidents or injuries. However, a significant portion of both the vehicles and their drivers providing taxi services do not meet these requirements, which negatively affects the safety of trips. Often, 'side jobs' arrive for orders, who get behind the wheel after their main job and do not comply with the law," noted Denis Ryabinin.

      Currently, all the issues discussed are in the stage of discussion. The Ministry of Transport of the Nizhny Novgorod Region continues to collect proposals from the expert community to form the final list of instructions.

      Kristina Koretskaya