Driver Shortage Halts Half of Rostov's Buses
Only 65% of buses are operating in Rostov-on-Don due to a severe driver shortage.
Mar 11, 2026 0
The winter season exacerbated public transport issues in Rostov, leading to increased passenger complaints.
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In January, only 65% of the planned number of buses were operating on routes in Rostov-on-Don, according to the city administration.
Buses in the city frequently lack the capacity to handle the number of commuters during rush hours.
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The main reason for the transportation shortage is a driver deficit, which accounts for 45.5% of the required number.
Long queues form at the Perekhodnoy Most stop in the mornings as a result of limited bus services.
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The situation worsened due to snowfalls, when passengers complained about being unable to board overcrowded buses.
Overcrowding on early morning buses has become a common occurrence in Rostov due to the driver shortage.
The administration confirmed the problem: «In January of this year, the deployment of public passenger transport vehicles in Rostov-on-Don to the line is 65% of the planned quantity.»
«To date, the shortage of public transport drivers remains one of the main problems in the transport sector,» officials noted.
It was also pointed out that drivers are often not assigned to specific routes and work on different directions, which reduces the efficiency of deployment.
City authorities announced plans to purchase 20 articulated buses and 70 standard models for a total of 2.7 billion rubles (approximately $30 million at current rates).
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