Free transportation in Mykolaiv: under what condition did the carrier support it.

According to inkorr.com: The idea of free transportation in Mykolaiv's public transport received support from the administration of KP 'Mykolaivpastrans', but only on the condition that the city budget would cover the expenses of the enterprise. This was reported by the enterprise's director, Dmytro Teslenko, in his post on Facebook. Details are provided by the publication MykVisti.

Conditions for supporting free transportation in Mykolaiv

Teslenko emphasized that he supports this initiative but stressed the importance of a 'fair approach':

• if the passenger does not pay, the city has to compensate the expenses;
• financing must arrive on time and in full;
• without guarantees, disruptions in services, accumulation of debts, and wear and tear of transports are possible.

‘A free lunch is the most expensive. I am 'for' if there is approved financing and guarantees of receipts. I am not interested in populism; I am interested in ensuring that transport operates fairly— not at the expense of safety and workers,’ stressed Teslenko.

Reaction of the city authorities

This post was a response to the proposal of city council member from the 'Servant of the People' party, Tetiana Dombrovska, who on October 31 during a session proposed making public transport free for all residents.

Mayor Oleksandr Senkevich noted that such an initiative is only possible after calculating potential revenues from transportation and determining the amount of compensation the city budget must pay to public carriers.

Previous initiatives

The idea of free transportation for Mykolaiv residents is not new. It was discussed back in 2021 regarding electric transport, and in 2018, there were talks about abolishing payment for rides altogether. However, the project was not implemented at that time due to a lack of funding.

For comparison, in Kharkiv, free public transport has been in operation since 2022, and the city authorities plan to maintain it even after the war ends.

Implementing free transportation has provoked active discussions among local authorities and the public. This issue remains relevant as the war and economic difficulties prioritize safety and accessibility of public transport for the city’s residents. Whether Mykolaiv will find a solution that satisfies all parties will be revealed with time.