Uzbekistan Orders Faster Public Transport Reform

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on further improving the public transport system in the regions and accelerating reforms in the sector, according to official sources summarizing the report on the current state and development plans for transport infrastructure.

During the presentation, it was noted that over the past three years, 2,650 modern buses and electric buses have been delivered to the capital and regional centers. A total of 279 regular routes have been organized under gross contract schemes, while around 2 trillion soum is allocated annually from the state budget to develop public transport.

As a result, the number of buses operating on routes has reached 3,150 units. Daily trips have increased from 18,000 in 2022 to 45,200, while passenger traffic has grown from 900,000 to 2.3 million people. Around 4,800 jobs have also been created in the sector.

Officials highlighted that growing urbanization and increased transport activity have led to a roughly 30% rise in traffic load at city entry points. In response, it was proposed to transition to a unified agglomeration-based public transport system, expanding the gross contract model to routes within a 12-kilometer radius of cities.

Under the proposed approach, 19 routes in Tashkent and 79 routes in regional centers are expected to be organized. Integration of bus services with suburban rail transport is also under discussion through unified tariff solutions, including “electric train–bus” and “electric train–metro” models.

The presentation also stressed the need to renew the bus fleet in the regions, where an additional 1,500 large and medium-capacity buses are required. To support fleet renewal, measures have been proposed including expanded credit mechanisms for entrepreneurs and a two-year extension of exemption from recycling fees for imported buses.

Special attention was given to working conditions for drivers and passenger service quality. Last year, Tashkent recorded 1,670 complaints regarding driver performance, as well as 109 road accidents involving buses. In response, it was proposed to improve the gross contract system, increase the number of drivers per bus from two to three, and strengthen safety and service quality controls.

Dispatch centers have already been established in the regions to manage transport operations, ensuring around 90% of trips are completed on schedule. It was proposed to introduce artificial intelligence technologies into these systems to optimize bus movement based on passenger demand, which is expected to reduce transport costs by 10–15%.

The president emphasized the need for comprehensive public transport development not only in major cities but also in tourist centers. In this context, he instructed authorities to develop master plans for “green transport” systems in Samarkand and Namangan, considering their potential growth into million-plus cities.

It was also noted that a threefold increase in tourist flows to Khiva requires accelerated transport development, with similar programs to be implemented in Khiva, Shakhrisabz, Margilan, and Kokand.

In conclusion, Mirziyoyev stressed that public transport directly affects quality of life, environmental conditions, and economic activity, and instructed relevant agencies to speed up digitalization, expand route networks, and implement modern technological solutions across the sector.