The Council of the State Duma has chosen to defer the examination of a draft law that would impose fines on any entity that works with drivers without the explicit consent of taxi ordering platforms to transport passengers. This postponement, reported by the Parliamentary newspaper, reflects regional implementation gaps rather than a wholesale abandonment of the policy. Officials say the delay is necessary because not all regions have built the required registries to store information about drivers and vehicles. The document has been returned to its authors for revision and further refinement. [Parliamentary Newspaper]
The draft law envisioned three distinct information systems in every region by September 1: a registry of carriers, a registry of taxis, and a registry of ordering services. It also proposed that intermediaries who cooperate with illegal drivers could face penalties reaching up to half a million rubles. Such a framework would create a centralized, transparent map of who operates what, where, and under whose authority, a move echoed by many other markets grappling with gig-economy logistics. [Parliamentary Newspaper]
According to Artem Sheikin, who oversees the Digital Economy of Transport within the Federation Council’s Digital Economy Council, the government information system for passenger taxis remains under development. He noted that regional taxi registrations have not yet been established largely due to funding shortfalls. This financial gap complicates the roll-out and raises questions about the pace at which federal aims can be matched at the regional level. [Parliamentary Newspaper]
Senator Sheikin suggested that regions should either allocate targeted funding or explore public-private partnership models to assist in building the necessary registries. Such partnerships could help bridge capital needs, accelerate system integration, and ensure ongoing maintenance. The goal would be to provide reliable, real-time data to authorities, platforms, and users, reducing the risk of unregistered operations and fostering a more accountable taxi ecosystem. [Parliamentary Newspaper]
In related developments, it was reported earlier that the All-Russian Passenger Association had urged authorities to postpone several provisions of the so-called taxi law for a year, pushing the effective date to September 1 of the following year. The request reflects a pragmatic acknowledgment that infrastructure and funding must mature in tandem with regulatory ambitions, particularly in markets where digital payment and ride-hailing platforms are rapidly expanding. [Parliamentary Newspaper]