In 2024, the State Transport Leasing Company (STLC) will transfer to the regions of Russia more than 3 thousand units of urban transport, most of which are buses under the National Welfare Fund (NWF) project. This was reported by the press service of the State Transport Leasing Company.
The company notes that public transport in Russia is rapidly “rejuvenating”. If at the beginning of 2022 only one in every six buses on Russian roads is within the limits of standard use (up to 10 years for a large class), then at the beginning of 2023 – every fifth. By 2024, the dynamics have accelerated even more.
According to the State Transport Leasing Company, turning around the situation in the most common and popular transport segment was made possible mainly thanks to comprehensive state support.
Currently, there are 7 different public transport development programs for Russian regions, including two leasing programs for which the State Transport Leasing Company is responsible.
Programs to update public transport within the framework of the national “Safe Quality Roads” (SQR) project and an investment project using funds from the National Welfare Fund work on a similar principle.
The leasing company finances the production of new Russian equipment, provides long-term orders to factories, stimulates production investments and develops its own capabilities. The new transportation is offered to regional carriers on preferential terms, with the possibility of zero advance payments. As a result, the burden on city budgets does not increase and carriers can renew their fleets without placing the financial burden on passengers.
Among the latest transactions under preferential rental programs at the State Transport Leasing Company, a contract for 350 large-class buses LiAZ-529265 for the Northern capital of Russia stands out. Transport is leased for 7 years at 6.8% under the National Welfare Fund project; This is two times less than the key rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. The first batches of buses were transferred to the city carrier by the State Transport Leasing Company, the rest are under construction.
In February 2024, another contract was completed for the supply of 191 VOLGABUS 4298G4 buses to Astrakhan. The total investment in the NWF project is planned to be 73.3 billion rubles by the end of this year – in terms of equipment, this means more than 4 thousand modern buses on the country’s roads.
The State Transport Leasing Company emphasizes that preferential rental programs are in demand in the market. It allows the renewal of obsolete fleets under comfortable conditions and the initiation of transport reforms even in not very rich regions.