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Transport Troubles: Unhappiness over lack of conclusion by commission
http://armenianow.com/society/52709/public_transport_costs_in_armenia_taron_margaryan
SOCIETY | 14.03.14 | 17:25
Photolure
Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Public transport passengers in the Armenian capital are unhappy with
the work of the transport commission created several months ago and
believe no efforts are spared to eliminate the passenger
transportation companies and to monopolize the field.
In July, Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan suspended the application of
his decision to raise the transport fares (from 100 drams to 150 [36
cents] and from 50 to 100 [24 cents]) after a weeklong civil protest
in the Armenian capital. He also stated that a commission of experts
and concerned citizens would be formed to develop all the mechanisms
that would allow completing the decision on "Reconsideration of the
passenger transportation fares in Yerevan city". The civil activists,
not satisfied with this solution, continued the standoff and demanded
dismissal of several high-ranking officials.
Economic entities have made their own calculations, after which they
stated that the bus fare had to be raised to 150-250 drams (36-60
cents), while NGO representatives claim their calculations show even
with 80-dram fare (19) it would be possible to work with profit.
Member organizations of the Passenger Transporters of Armenia say they
have been working at a loss during the recent years, because the bus
fare rate has not changed since 1996, but the taxes have grown, the
fuel and technical assistance prices have gone up.
"We absolutely do not want to leave this burden on our citizens,
instead the tax burden could be eased, the fuel sold to us at cost.
People have made expenses, purchased new busses, but today these
companies are in a dire situation, one of them facing bankruptcy. Most
probably, the goal is to eliminate all these companies and hand the
entire field to one operator," Hrant Yeghiazaryan, heading the union,
told the press on Friday.
According to passenger route operators, the commission has achieved
nothing essential in all these months and they have turned to the
country leader to understand what is happening.
They claim also that five companies have shut down, seven are on the
verge of liquidation, 23 are not functioning, which affects the still
running companies because of the work overload.
Thursday the parliament discussed a draft law on changes and additions
to the law On Automobile Transport, providing for handing the
exploitation of public transport to the community administration, new
operator concept has been introduced, which is an organization to run
regular local city passenger transportation routes using automobiles
of general public use, with 100 percent community participation.
"If there is only one operator, we will have many jobless people, a
new wave of migration, and a higher than 200-dram bus fare, because
the field will be monopolized and you won't be able to do anything
about it. Monopoly always dictates the rules, it has never done any
good to people," says the Union's vice-president Harutyun Araqelyan,
passenger route operator, who has worked for 35 years in the sphere.
http://armenianow.com/society/52709/public_transport_costs_in_armenia_taron_margaryan
SOCIETY | 14.03.14 | 17:25
Photolure
Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Public transport passengers in the Armenian capital are unhappy with
the work of the transport commission created several months ago and
believe no efforts are spared to eliminate the passenger
transportation companies and to monopolize the field.
In July, Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan suspended the application of
his decision to raise the transport fares (from 100 drams to 150 [36
cents] and from 50 to 100 [24 cents]) after a weeklong civil protest
in the Armenian capital. He also stated that a commission of experts
and concerned citizens would be formed to develop all the mechanisms
that would allow completing the decision on "Reconsideration of the
passenger transportation fares in Yerevan city". The civil activists,
not satisfied with this solution, continued the standoff and demanded
dismissal of several high-ranking officials.
Economic entities have made their own calculations, after which they
stated that the bus fare had to be raised to 150-250 drams (36-60
cents), while NGO representatives claim their calculations show even
with 80-dram fare (19) it would be possible to work with profit.
Member organizations of the Passenger Transporters of Armenia say they
have been working at a loss during the recent years, because the bus
fare rate has not changed since 1996, but the taxes have grown, the
fuel and technical assistance prices have gone up.
"We absolutely do not want to leave this burden on our citizens,
instead the tax burden could be eased, the fuel sold to us at cost.
People have made expenses, purchased new busses, but today these
companies are in a dire situation, one of them facing bankruptcy. Most
probably, the goal is to eliminate all these companies and hand the
entire field to one operator," Hrant Yeghiazaryan, heading the union,
told the press on Friday.
According to passenger route operators, the commission has achieved
nothing essential in all these months and they have turned to the
country leader to understand what is happening.
They claim also that five companies have shut down, seven are on the
verge of liquidation, 23 are not functioning, which affects the still
running companies because of the work overload.
Thursday the parliament discussed a draft law on changes and additions
to the law On Automobile Transport, providing for handing the
exploitation of public transport to the community administration, new
operator concept has been introduced, which is an organization to run
regular local city passenger transportation routes using automobiles
of general public use, with 100 percent community participation.
"If there is only one operator, we will have many jobless people, a
new wave of migration, and a higher than 200-dram bus fare, because
the field will be monopolized and you won't be able to do anything
about it. Monopoly always dictates the rules, it has never done any
good to people," says the Union's vice-president Harutyun Araqelyan,
passenger route operator, who has worked for 35 years in the sphere.