Orenburg mayor covers trolleybuses, fines, and his personal life in direct line
Mayor Albert Yumadilov addressed a range of urban issues from transport to snow removal during the live session.
On January 21, Orenburg Mayor Albert Yumadilov went live on the Center for Regional Management«s broadcast. Many residents in social media comments thought the questions and answers would be »sanitized« (after all, he wasn»t talking to journalists), but the official spoke about the regional capital«s problems for about 40 minutes. How it went, and whether Orenburg residents» fears were justified—read in our report.
The direct line covered fines for management companies and plans for new buses and trolleybuses.
Snow removal
Questions from residents focused on specific problems like snowdrifts near schools and icy sidewalks.
The broadcast began with... thanks for the good snow removal (noticed?)—but the mayor didn«t rest on his laurels.
The mayor discussed creating a single municipal management company and ongoing raids for snow removal.
He noted that Orenburg«s management companies have already »earned« about 100 citations (with fines from 15,000 to 45,000 rubles, approximately $167 to $500 at current rates), and this measure doesn»t work on everyone as it should. Moreover, the issue of creating a single municipal management company is being discussed, as is done in the capital, from where Yumadilov came.
Yumadilov stated the city«s public transport situation remains difficult, particularly for trolleybuses.
«The task of management companies is to monetize their activities. If they are not controlled and not disturbed—not all will perform their duties 100%,» stated the official.
Plans for road repairs in 2026 and a ban on ATVs on the main street were reiterated.
Yumadilov said that raids on courtyards with snow accumulations will continue, and in case of a collapse, like the recent one in the capital, the main focus of «BIOz» and «Komservis» will be on main arteries—Chkalova, Gagarin, and Tereshkova streets. Difficulties will only arise with 40+ cm of snowfall, but even in that case, city enterprises will share equipment with the mayor«s office.
A development project on Brestskaya Street is part of ongoing urban planning discussions in the city.
Two questions from residents concerned specific places: snowdrifts near School No. 20 and ice near the Southern District administration—the mayor promised to resolve both these requests by tomorrow morning.
The mayor concluded the broadcast by sharing his personal goal to climb Mount Kazbek and find a bride.
«At baseboard level»
This topic, after the reform by Sergei «Sambist» Salmin, remains the city«s most »painful« point. Albert Yumadilov acknowledges this, calling it the main problem.
As at the briefing with journalists, he talked about the already completed purchase of mid-class buses (and there is no driver shortage for such minibuses in the city), and stated that plans include purchasing 25 more of the same—a letter has already been sent to Construction Minister Alexander Polukhin.
In total, about 200 transport units go on routes daily in the city (including «green crocodiles»—large-class buses, for which there is a driver shortage). To stabilize the situation, at least 100 more buses are needed—their purchase will depend on the financial condition.
Now it has become known that the official«s favorite mode of transport is the trolleybus: by April, plans are to purchase 10 units and partially update the infrastructure (details here—nothing new was announced). This could take about 5 years.
«A city striving to become a metropolis cannot have only buses. But the situation with trolleybuses is worse, and it»s practically at «baseboard level». […] We won«t reach the volume of trolleybuses that was in the Soviet Union in the next five years. But on existing routes—we will restore one more,» said Yumadilov.
Some bus routes were transferred to «Liderkom» because private operators abandoned them, but they will also update their fleet over time. As for specifics—questions about route 79N and travel to «Termoland»—we and the mayor«s office press service reported on this earlier.
The mayor believes that carriers need transparent conditions (so they can plan at least the near future), and the city is not yet ready to switch to a «gross contract» system (where business gives the mayor«s office all revenue from passengers and in return receives compensation for work performed).
Improvements and roads
Yumadilov again talked about the list of roads that will be included in the 2026 repair program (and he already said this at the briefing); this also includes the answer to a resident«s request to fix Kutuzov Street in the Pristannionny settlement.
The mayor spent several minutes on cultural heritage sites, which are very, very difficult to sell and rent out (although the new owner of the Central Market takes such properties «with gusto»), and also stated that, in his opinion, points of attraction for residents should be not only in shopping centers and on Sovetskaya Street—«the city center is neglected.»
A question was asked about ATVs and scooters driving on Sovetskaya Street—the mayor reminded about the introduced ban (and this has been known for several months, details here).
The mayor«s office plans—to repair the bridge on Donguzskaya Street (but so far, these are just talks), and it»s too early to talk about expansion by several lanes.
Another question from a female resident—about receiving «letters of happiness» from the mayor«s office with parking fines. Yumadilov parried that they were most likely issued for parking near garbage containers (and this is also not a new topic).
A question from residents of the MZhK (Youth Housing Complex), who have long been asking for a new school in their district (and even Russian Investigative Committee head Alexander Bastrykin is «in the know»), but will get another multi-story building on a vacant lot.
Yumadilov noted that he is aware of the problem, and the issue of repurposing one of the children«s art schools into an elementary school is being worked out. There is also a potential construction site near the »Youth Technicians Station,« but experts must first evaluate all this. The mayor made no direct promises on this issue.
«It would be unhealthy if I were to deceive,» said Yumadilov.
The official also shared plans to repair School No. 48 (whose students are «scattered» across other schools)—it should start in 2026. And within a month, a list of another 7–8 objects in the education sector will be determined, where builders will also work.
Only work in his heart
At the end of the broadcast, two unexpected questions were asked. First, Yumadilov was asked what peak he wants to conquer in the near future (as it turned out, last year he climbed Mount Elbrus). The answer—Mount Kazbek.
And then the mayor (the unmarried mayor) was asked if he would look for a bride in Orenburg.
«Certainly, I plan to, but for now, instead of a bride—it»s work. When it gets easier—I«ll take up this question,» declared Yumadilov.
