The national program Safe High-Quality Roads is more than a road modernization drive. It blends repairing rural routes with upgrading public transportation to create a safer, more reliable mobility network across the country. Across 21 urban agglomerations, a total of 1,161 units are slated to arrive in 2022-2024, strengthening the level of service and comfort for passengers. This commitment signals a long-term plan to revitalize urban transit and improve daily commutes for residents and visitors alike.
Among the new arrivals, 934 buses, 200 trolleybuses, and 27 trams are distributed to the urban centers of Novosibirsk, Tula, Omsk, Volgograd, Chelyabinsk, Cheboksary, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Sochi, Kursk, Orenburg, Petrozavodsk, Ufa, Bryansk, Astrakhan, Ulan-Ude, Saratov, Tomsk, Izhevsk, Vladivostok, and Ryazan. Each vehicle is chosen to fit the specific demands of its city, taking into account traffic patterns, passenger loads, and local geography. The goal is to raise the reliability of public transit while lowering travel times and congestion on major corridors.
Earlier, the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management reviewed applications from 44 regions to assess the maturity of public transport systems. Based on these evaluations, a prioritized list was created, identifying where rolling stock renewal would deliver the greatest impact. This process helps ensure funds are directed to where they are most needed and where upgrades will yield tangible improvements in rider experience and safety.
The fleets arriving under the national project are designed with passenger comfort and safety at the forefront. Vehicle interiors are configured to provide smooth boarding and seating that accommodates a broad range of passengers, including families and daily commuters. The seating layouts, climate control, and ride quality are calibrated to minimize fatigue on longer trips and support efficient loading and unloading at busy stops. In addition, the models have been planned to enhance accessibility; low floors and folding ramps are integrated to assist people with reduced mobility, the elderly, and travelers with strollers or heavy luggage. These features help ensure that transit remains an inclusive option for everyone in the community.
Environmental friendliness is a key criterion across all new arrivals. The rolling stock selected for these upgrades emphasizes lower emissions and quieter operation, contributing to better air quality and a more pleasant urban soundscape. The emphasis on sustainability also extends to the maintenance and lifecycle planning of the vehicles, aiming to minimize waste and optimize energy use over their service life.
As part of Safe High-Quality Roads, a total of 1,131 transit vehicles had already been delivered to regional fleets during 2020-2021. This earlier phase laid the groundwork for modern, integrated transit systems by introducing new buses, trolleybuses, and trams that could seamlessly connect with existing networks. The current phase builds on that foundation, expanding coverage and upgrading the equipment in additional cities to create a more cohesive national public transport framework that residents can rely on every day.