Information hour dedicated to the introduction of automated fare payment system was held in parliament

The introduction of automated fare payment system was discussed today at the Supreme Council. The information hour was initiated by a group of deputies based on appeals from transport companies. Transport workers expressed in their appeals concerns about the operation of fixed-route taxis on city, suburban and intercity routes from January 1, 2025.

According to the Decree of the PMR Government, fixed-route taxis carrying out passenger transportation on city, suburban and intercity routes must switch to an automated fare payment system. This means that all transport must be equipped with validators for cashless payment.

The provisions contained in the Appendix to this Resolution state that fixed-route taxis that do not have validators installed will not be able to operate from January 1 at the same time. However, the vast majority of fixed-route taxis today are still not equipped with validators a week before the end of the year. The parliamentarians noted that the issue of fixed-route taxi operation in the new year remains in limbo because of this.

Earlier the automated fare payment system was enshrined in law in the fall of 2023. The corresponding law-in-draft was discussed at length at meetings of the relevant parliamentary Committee and at plenary sessions of the Supreme Council of the PMR. The opinions of parliamentarians were divided, but a sufficient number of deputies voted "for" the introduction of an automated fare payment system in Pridnestrovie, and the law-in-draft was adopted as a law.

Preparatory activities began in 2024. First Deputy Chairman of the Government – Minister of Economic Development Sergei Obolonik told the deputies about the progress of work on the introduction of an automated fare payment system in Pridnestrovie. A working group was established by the Government Resolution in March of this year, which has held 25 meetings to date. Meetings were also held with carriers in the cities and districts of the republic.

The Pridnestrovian parliament recognizes the need to implement an automated fare payment system. However, the deputies have accumulated many questions and comments on the mechanism for its implementation.

In particular, the parliamentarians were interested in whether the Government took into account the position of transport companies and how the carrier companies themselves feel about the automated fare payment system.

The system will be convenient for passengers who will be able to track the movement of transport using the application, added First Deputy Chairman of the Government – Minister of Economic Development Sergei Obolonik.

The deputies noted that today neither the general public nor the drivers of minibuses fully understand how the automated fare payment system will interact with the preferential categories of citizens, of which there are 34 in Pridnestrovie. The Government explained: a single database is being developed for these purposes, which will contain data on all citizens entitled to preferential travel.

Currently, the database contains data on schoolchildren, students and pensioners. The state will receive accurate data on the transportation of privileged categories of citizens when the system starts working. In the future, according to government representatives, this will make it possible to improve the entire system of privileges.

The deputies following the discussion unanimously supported the Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, in which they took note of the information and recommended that the Government change the date of the transition of fixed-route taxis to the automated fare payment system – from January 1 to July 1. The idea was supported by the transport companies.

Thus, the full-fledged operation of the automated fare payment system in Pridnestrovie will begin in the summer of 2025. The validators themselves have already been purchased at the expense of the republican budget. They will be installed from January in fixed-route taxis and passengers will have the opportunity to pay for travel by choice – either by bank card or in cash. A similar mechanism will be in effect from September 30 for trolleybuses fare payment.