Odesa Launches Online Real-Time Tracking for Its Social Buses.

Odesa Implements Live Tracking for Social Buses

According to Novyny.live: Residents of Odesa can now track the city's social buses in real-time using the MISTO and Public Transport Odesa mobile apps. This new online mapping system is currently in a pilot phase, providing up-to-date information on the routes of this essential transport service. The initiative is part of a broader effort to modernize public transit in Ukrainian cities.

The communal enterprise 'Autotransportne Hospodarstvo Odeskoho Miskyvkonkomu' held a tender in February to install GPS trackers on the buses. The initial contract was valued at 426,000 hryvnias but was later reduced to 300,000 hryvnias. While the services were supposed to be completed by February 28th, payment for the work had not been processed as of March 12th.

The social bus network was introduced in the autumn of 2025 following widespread shelling that disabled part of the city's electric tram and trolleybus infrastructure. This service became a crucial step in restoring vital transportation links for Odesa's citizens.

Social Bus Routes

The social bus routes include:

• C1 'Railway Station — 28th Brigade Street'
• C3 'Sviatoslava Rikhtera Street — Dihitiarna Street'
• C4 'Tiraspol Highway (Two Pillars) — Dihitiarna Street'

as well as routes duplicating tram lines:

• Tram #5 'Railway Station — Arkadia'
• Trolleybus #8 'Superphosphate Plant — Railway Station'
• Trolleybus #9 'Inglezi Street — Richelievska Street'

Additional routes duplicating tram services are:

• #5 'Arkadia — Railway Station'
• #10 'Itskhaka Rabina Street — Railway Station'
• #15 'Odesa-Tovarna — Slobidskyi Market'
• #17 'Kulykove Pole — 14th Station of the Great Fountain'
• #26 'Arkhitektorska Street — Railway Station'
• #27 'Arkhitektorska Street — Freedom Avenue'

Routes duplicating trolleybus services include:

• #3 'Zastava I — Shevchenko Park'
• #8 'Superphosphate Plant — Railway Station'
• #9 'Inglezi Street — Richelievska Street'
• #10k 'Peresyp Bridge — Richelievska Street'
• #12 'Arkhitektorska Street — Sviatoslava Rikhtera Street'

The implementation of this live tracking system aims to improve transport services in Odesa and ensure residents have current information on public transit movements.

The launch of the social bus tracking system in Odesa represents a significant step in enhancing public transport accessibility. It also demonstrates the local authority's commitment to adapting the city's infrastructure with modern technology, which can increase passenger comfort and safety.

Despite the payment delays for the GPS tracker installation, the pilot phase of the system can help identify and resolve potential issues before a full-scale launch. This real-time data is particularly valuable for a service established under emergency conditions.