The Russian Ministry of Transport has drafted a fresh version of the taxi bill, introducing a demand that taxi collectors grant the FSB automatic remote access to their systems and data. Sources cited by RBC describe this requirement as giving law enforcement access to information used to receive, store, process, and transfer orders for passenger taxi services. The proposal would also set a minimum tariff for passenger and luggage transport, cap the number of passenger taxis allowed in a given region, and assign liability to taxi collectors for harm to life, health, or property of any person involved in a ride.
Further provisions would mandate the installation of driver monitoring devices to track attention and fatigue levels, create regional carrier registers, and regulate passenger taxis along with taxi ordering platforms. Aggregators would be obliged to establish offices in each region and to contract with self-employed drivers. These measures aim to modernize oversight and ensure consistent service standards across the country.
RBC notes that the bill is presently under review by the Ministry of Justice. In addition, discussions in mid-March from Andrey Popkov, head of the Coordinating Council of the interregional transport workers union “Taxi Driver,” highlighted financial pressures on drivers. He stated that earnings and fleet revenue have declined due to rising maintenance costs and higher vehicle prices. The devaluation of the ruble has further impacted income, reducing demand for rides and the number of calls. At the start of 2022, a typical driver reportedly earned around 5,000 rubles per shift; more recently, the figure had fallen to about 3,000 rubles per shift, according to the union representative. These economic pressures are occurring alongside regulatory shifts, which could influence driver livelihoods and the broader taxi market dynamics in the near term. [citation: RBC]