Where Do Reforms in Baku Transport System Lead?

According to the decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev on July 6, http://bna.az/az/fermanlar/567, the Baku Transport Agency (BTA) was granted additional powers in the management and settlement of public transport in the city. Currently, this legal entity of public law, as it is customary in large cities of other countries, has exclusive rights in the activities of regular passenger transportation, taxi regulation and transport infrastructure management. What does the fact that the system of ground public transport, including passenger transportation, is concentrated in one hand in the face of BTA promise the passengers and the pedestrians?

BTA was created in December 2015. At that time, the Center for Intelligent Transport Management was withdrawn from submission to the Ministry of Transport and transferred to the balance of BTA. In the society, this decision was regarded as a measure to eliminate former Transport Minister Ziya Mammadov from the management of this sector. This decision, in fact, was the beginning of reforms in the field of land transportation in the capital. The next stage of reforms was implemented on July 6 this year. Thus, by the last decree the Agency also acquired the status of an administrative body. It was given the authority to draft electronic protocols for administrative offenses in the territory of the capital's parking lots and places where parking is prohibited. The agency will also evacuate a vehicle that has violated the parking rules from the near future, as well as create its evacuation service. Earlier, the State Traffic Police was responsible for writing fines and evacuating transport for such violations. In addition, two paid automobile underground garages located on the balance sheet of the Baku Executive Power (EP), as well as the Baku Bus passenger transportation company, which is subordinated to the EP, will be transferred to BTA. Thus, the EP lost the rights in transport management issues in favor of BTA.

However, it seems that the management of BTA is not going to be satisfied with only regulatory issues. Back in April of this year, in order to ensure the activities of BTA by the decree of the President http://bna.az/az/fermanlar/486, several institutions engaged in transportation (LLC Baku Motor Transport Enterprise No. 4, LLC Baku Bus Park passenger service, as well as the garage of LLC Baku Motor Transport Enterprise No. 1 located in the village Lokbatan of the Garadag district of the capital), which are on the balance of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies (MTCHT) were transferred to BTA. To strengthen the activities of these enterprises for transportation, the Agency is currently engaged in the purchase of 300 buses with a large capacity at the expense of the state budget. Thus, BTA has become the largest passenger carrier in the city of Baku, taking into account the transition of Baku Bus LLC numbering more than 500 buses to its fleet.

Liberalization in the transport sector began in the first years of independence. Along with Baky Sernishin Negliyyat LLC operating under the Ministry of Transport, dozens of private carriers were established. Along with the state, fleet renewal was also invested by private companies.

Baky Sernishin Negliyyat LLC did not limit its work to passenger transportation only, but was engaged in determining the routes, as well as issuing licenses to buses. Sometimes the relationship between this company and the bus and taxi drivers reached melee. With the establishment of BTA, the relationship between carriers and the regulatory body entered a new period. The state-owned Baky Sernishin Negliyyat LLC (currently LLC Road Transport and Organization of Carriage) continued its activities first under the State Motor Transport Service, and under MTCHT from July 12 of this year.

BTA's activities also include the uninterrupted operation of traffic lights, the placement of bus stops along the bus route, the installation of road signs, and road markings.

However, observations show that the Agency is still unable to properly perform its functions. For example, in the third quarter of last year more than 5 million manat was spent on the purchase and installation of bus stops, but only a small part of the stops was put into operation. Only 477 of the 2,000 buses in operation are attracted to the BakiKart system of non-cash payment. The agency did not create a system for alerting passengers and pedestrians about the closure of roads or the presence of traffic jams on the roads, although the state spends a sufficient amount to organize the Agency's activities. In 2017, the activities of BTA cost the state 47.5 million manat, excluding investments.

Meanwhile the activity of BTA is evident in the installation of ramps in the central streets of the capital for people with limited mobility. Residents of the city and drivers observe the initiative to create several Transport Exchange Centers. However, the structure does not hurry to take advantage of international experience in this field. In Moscow, for example, a similar government agency can interfere with the settlement of the underground. The Transportation Department of Moscow and the road transport infrastructure under the Mayor's office have determined the benefits in ​​parking for people with disabilities, local area residents, and car owners with large families. In Baku, they are all equalized. Baku does not think about reducing the use of vehicles and encouraging the use of bicycles. In Moscow, the transport regulator has made serious progress in the creation of rental of bicycles, their parking, as well as bicycle paths.

Experience in the management of the transport sector over the past 20 years has shown that the reform of the transport system is not only the purchase of modern buses, the concentration of control in one hand, etc. Indeed, over the years, despite some efforts, real progress in urban transport has not been achieved. The ultimate goal is to create comfort and safety for passengers, eliminate traffic jams and, in connection with this, create an optimal separation of ground and underground transport using the most progressive experience. Time will tell whether BTA will cope with this task, and how soon this will happen.