Stolyarov promises to employ jobless Astrakhan taxi drivers

Today, the Mayor of Astrakhan Mikhail Stolyarov has met the protesting fixed-route taxi drivers, who demand to preserve their Gazel mini-vans in the city transport network, and promised soon to solve the problem of their employment. The protesters were invited for a meeting in the building of the regional administration to address all the issues of their concern.

It was reported earlier that today over 50 taxi drivers were protesting in Astrakhan. According to Damir Bulatov, the vice-president of the Regional Association of Motorists (RAM), this was due to the fact that the entrepreneurs, who service many of the existing routes, received a letter from the city administration that from April 13 on they have no right to work.

Drivers of fixed-route taxies protest against ousting them from Astrakhan transport market

Today, drivers of Gazel mini-vans have organized a spontaneous rally near the central stadium, which was also visited by the hunger-striking ex-candidate for the Mayor of Astrakhan Oleg Shein, the oppositional blogger Alexei Navalny and a group of supporters of the hunger strike. The protesters claimed that the new transport enterprise would hire drivers from the neighbouring Volgograd Region and pay taxes to the budget of Volgograd. The protesters chanted: "Don't take away our daily bread!" and "Give us job!"

As reported by the RAM, compact mini-buses with Volgograd license plates appeared in the city about a month ago; and the Mayoralty is terminating contracts with private carriers operating mainly Gazel mini-vans without any explanations. As suggested by the RAM, it is connected with appearance in the market of passenger services of a company from the Volgograd Region, which makes small capacity buses. This interest of the authorities of Astrakhan to Volgograd-made buses is explained by the fact that the incumbent Governor of the Volgograd Region is Sergey Bozhenov, the former Mayor of Astrakhan, the IA "Vysota-102" reports.

"We have repeatedly appealed to the Mayoralty, pointing to violations of the law, including the antimonopoly one and carriers' rights at holding tenders. Today, dozens of cases are at the arbitration court; however, in any case, we solve our problems in a civilized way. The entrepreneurs who were deprived of the right to work, also intend to go to court," said Damir Bulatov as quoted by the "Rossiiskaya Gazeta".

Stolyarov offers drivers to take new buses

The Astrakhan Mayor Mikhail Stolyarov came to the rally. "We need you, the drivers, and I'm ready to meet each carrier, and within a week to provide jobs for you. We really need to service the routes. You are welcome to come, I'm ready to meet everyone," said Stolyarov, addressing the protesters.

The Mayor has also noted that the new transportation company is Astrakhan-based, and it needs Astrakhan drivers. He explained that the misunderstanding stemmed from the fact that the new buses had been manufactured by the Volgograd factory; they were leased; and, accordingly, have Volgograd registration number plates.

After the meeting the parties have agreed to meet today in the regional administration and to settle - within 24 hours - all the problems in the presence of representatives of the Regional Transport Ministry, the Governor and the Mayor, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

New busses service Astrakhan city routes

It is today that Astrakhan has seen new medium-size city buses, which were presented yesterday, on April 12. 67 such passenger buses are equipped with LCD TV-sets, Wi-Fi and air conditioners; they will bring passengers to several micro-districts of the city, including the most remote ones - Kazachiy, 3rd International, ATsKK, townships Svobodny, Sovietskiy Kirikili and Yango-Aul.

The new passenger buses meet the modern requirements of environmental safety (engines of Class Euro-4); their salons are equipped with the latest equipment, air conditioning systems, surveillance cameras, tachometers and the GLONASS system.

The buses have low floors and convenient location of places for people with disabilities. By the end of the year, the Astrakhan Mayoralty plans to bring 200 such buses to the city; and in 2013 - 400 more, says the statement posted on the website of the administration of Astrakhan.