On January 3, 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved Resolution no. 27 “On Amendments to the Procedure for Selection of Carrier for Public Bus Line”, which significantly changed the rules of access to the market. A detailed review of novelties – in our newsletter.

New requirements regarding the accessibility of vehicles

In order to pursue the aims of making public spaces, including transport, more accessible for persons with disabilities, the new regulation introduces requirements to the vehicles that are used for servicing public lines. 

In particular, in case of conducting a selection of an operator for urban or suburban bus lines, the new regulation requires the carrier to ensure a proper share of vehicles to be adapted for the needs of people with disabilities and other groups of population with reduced mobility: not least than 50% (starting from 2025 – not least than 70%) on urban lines, and not least than 20% on suburban lines.

In addition, a new procedure aims at securing the right for free or discounted trips for war veterans – it is prescribed that the carriers cannot participate in selection unless they ensure the possibility for free/discounted travels for all groups of the population, entitled to it (especially for war veterans) – including by ensuring connection to the unified ticket system.

Changes in the procedure for selection of carrier

For a long time monopolization of the bus lines was a major issue for the improvement of services and de-shadowing of the market – in particular, of interregional bus carriages. The resolution makes an effort to resolve this issue, by removing possibility to prolong the permission for servicing interregional bus line – which potentially will allow more carriers to the market. While earlier it was already prescribed that in case several carriers may receive a permission for one line if they are compliant with the legislation, selection for many lines was not conducted, as the same carrier was prolonging existing permit numerous times. At the same time, despite the latest changes, a provision, limiting possibility to create new interregional lines, is preserved. Also, existing contracts and permits and contracts were automatically prolonged for the period of application of martial law, so as of now the number of the selections to be carried is still rather limited.

In addition to this, the new procedure provides the possibility to submit the document packages for selection in digital form.

Safety of carriages

As the safety of bus carriages was one of the main issues that needed to be resolved, certain provisions of the Resolution aimed at ensuring it.

In particular, it is now forbidden to participate in the selection for the carriers, who use vehicles re-equipped for carrying passengers that were initially designed for freight carriages.

In addition, immediate cancellation of permit or termination of the contract is possible in case of an accident with casualties, caused by the carrier – while in case of other infringements, a 30-day period for removing incompliances is provided to the carrier.