Economics ministry says road passenger transport sector worst hit in Moldova, in context of pandemic

Chisinau, 18 June /MOLDPRES/ - The road passenger transport has been one of the worst hit sectors of the national economy. Thus, in last March, 88 per cent out of 6,865 trips planned had been carried out; yet, their number dropped by ten per cent against the emergency state period. The state secretary at the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry (MEI), Iulian Postica, made statements to this effect at a today’s news briefing on the road passenger transport, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.     

„Only 60 per cent of the resources have been reestablished till 17 June. Regretfully, we record also a decrease in the number of passengers: while this number was of 40 per cent till the setting of the emergency state, at present, we notice an up to 20 per cent diminution in the number of passengers embarked in transport units. As a result of the decrease in the number of regular trips, most bus terminals from Moldova ceased working, except for the Chisinau-based ones. Presently, practically all bus stations work as normal,’’ Iulian Postica noted.     

At present, the passenger transport is carried out only within the limit of the places available on chairs, with the obligatory wearing of protection masks by each passenger and the transport units are daily disinfected.  Data by the National Motor Transport Agency (ANTA) shows that only 70 per cent of the passengers observe the recommendations by the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission of correctly wearing masks in the public transport.   

On the period of the emergency state, MEI undertook a string of measures to help entrepreneurs from the road transport sector overcome the economic challenges emerged. Thus, decision-makers postponed for two months the terms of classification of buses according to comfort categories and extended by two months the certificates of professional competence of managers and drivers.  

„The meeting by buses/cars, involved in providing regular district and inter-regional services, of the comfort categories, was to be carried out in three schedules; the first term was 1 April 2020; yet, as a result of the pandemic crisis, the term was prolonged by two months.  Thus, till 1 June 2020, 2008 buses were subjected to classification, respectively, we record a level of 95 per cent of buses’ meeting the first control; schedule,’’ the official specified.    

Also, Iulian Postica referred to the issue of illicit passenger transport, which grew on the period of emergency state. Thus, so far, ANTA has compiled 64 official reports on the illicit transportation of people and imposed fines worth 157,000 lei and in the case of 50 official reports, the registration plates were lift and the work of transport units was ceased for a six-month period.