INDICATORS OF THE ADOPTION OF A CONTRACTING  SYSTEM FOR REGULAR PUBLIC TRANSPORT  SERVICES IN RUSSIA

Aleksandr Yu.  Ryzhkov

doi:10.17323/1999-5431-2025-0-2-137-160

Aleksandr Yu. Ryzhkov National Research University Higher School of Economics https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4885-6679

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17323/1999-5431-2025-0-2-137-160

Keywords: local public transport, public transport governance, transport reform, contract system, public procurement, implementation indicators, 220-FZ

Abstract

The organisational transformation of local public transport in Russia is currently underway. The existing legislative framework, based on Federal Law No. 220 of 13 July 2015, provides two alternative approaches: transportation at non-regulated fares (based on route permits) and transportation at regulated fares (based on public procurement contracts). The latter offers greater opportunities for improving service quality and is therefore preferred for public transport system reforms. This article examines the extent of contract system implementation through an analysis of the Russian public procurement contract registry over a ten-year period from 2015 to 2024. Using proposed implementation indicators, the study assesses whether authorities continue to use contracts consistently after the initial transition, and identifies the types of regional and municipal authorities that adopted the contract system earlier and employ it on a larger scale. The article characterises the degree of implementation of the contract system in the field of regular passenger transport, providing an assessment of the practical application of Federal Law No. 220-FZ ten years after its adoption.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Aleksandr Yu. Ryzhkov, National Research University Higher School of Economics

Visiting lecturer, Postgraduate

References

Bakanov, K.S., Isaev, M.M., and Koblov, P.S. (2023) Priority of road safety over economic outcomes in passenger transport by buses. Monograph. Moscow: FKU Research center of the road safety of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. (In Russian).

Ryzhkov, A.Y. (2024) City and operators: the history of transport reforms. Moscow: HSE. (In Russian).

Starshov, E.D. (2023) ‘The impact of a transportation reform on transportation mode choice in a city (the case of St. Petersburg)’, Ekonomika Severo-Zapada: problemy i perspektivy razvitiya, 3(74), pp. 158–172. (In Russian).

Zyuzin, P.V. (2022) ‘Urban transport systems in Russia: current state and development prospects’, in: XXIII Yasin (April) International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development. HSE University. Moscow: HSE. (In Russian).

Zyuzin, P.V., and Puchkova, S.A. (2022) Public transport productivity. Series: Urban Transport Systems of Russia. Moscow: OAO “First Model Printing House. (In Russian).

Alexandersson, G., Hultén, S., and Fölster, S. (1998) ‘The effects of competition in Swedish local bus services’, Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, 32(2), pp. 203–219.

Andersen, B. (1993) ‘Tendering in Scandinavia, systems and results: Sustainable competition through tendering?’, in: Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Competition and Ownership in Surface Passenger Transport. Thredbo Conference Series. Toronto, pp. 167–185.

Augustin, K., and Walter, M. (2010) ‘Operator changes through competitive tendering: Empirical evidence from German local bus transport’, Research in Transportation Economics, 29(1), pp. 36–44.

Beck, A. (2009) ‘To tender or not to tender – The unanswered German question’, CNI-Working Paper No. 2009-02. Berlin: Center for Network Industries and Infrastructure at Berlin University of Technology.

Beck, A. (2010) ‘Commercial public bus transport services in Germany: How a market in motion struggles with its regulatory framework’, Research in Transportation Economics, 29(1), pp. 183–194.

Beck, A. (2011) ‘Experiences with competitive tendering of bus services in Germany’, Transport Reviews, 31(3), pp. 313–339.

Beck, A. (2012) ‘The distinction between commercial and non-commercial bus services in Germany: Given by nature’, Transport Policy, 19(1), pp. 26–35.

Beck, A., and Walter, M. (2013) ‘Factors affecting tender prices in local bus transport: Evidence from Germany’, Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, 47(2), pp. 265–278.

Behrens, R., Salazar Ferro, P., and Golub, A. (2016) ‘International case studies of hybrid public transport system regulation and complementarity’, in: Behrens, R., McCormick, D. and Mfinanga, D. (eds) Paratransit in African Cities: Operations, Regulation and Reform. London; New York: Routledge, pp. 221–243.

Brandt, T. (2006) ‘Liberalisation, privatisation and regulation in the German local public transport sector’, Country Reports on Liberalisation and Privatisation Processes and Forms of Regulation. Privatisation of Public Services and the Impact on Quality, Employment and Productivity (PIQUE), November.

Canıtez, F., and Çelebi, D. (2018) ‘Transaction cost economics of procurement models in public transport: An institutional perspective’, Research in Transportation Economics, (69), pp. 116–125.

Cervero, R., and Golub, A. (2007) ‘Informal transport: A global perspective’, Transport Policy, 14(6), pp. 445–457.

Filippini, M., Koller, M., and Masiero, G. (2015) ‘Competitive tendering versus performance-based negotiation in Swiss public transport’, Transportation Research Part A, (82), pp. 158–168.

Godfrey, J., and Taylor, J. (2018) ‘The role of bus partnerships in Great Britain’, Research in Transportation Economics, (69), pp. 310–318.

Gómez-Lobo, A. (2012) ‘The ups and downs of a public transport reform: The case of Transantiago’, Departamento de Economía de la Universidad de Chile. Serie Documentos de Trabajo, No. 354. Santiago. April.

Gwilliam, K. (2008) ‘Bus transport: Is there a regulatory cycle?’, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 42(9), pp. 1183–1194.

Karl, A. (2018) ‘Commercial services in German local public transport’, Research in Transportation Economics, (69), pp. 319–325.

Muñoz, J.C., and Gschwender, A. (2008) ‘Transantiago: A tale of two cities’, Research in Transportation Economics, 22(1), pp. 45–53.

Savelberg, F., and Hilferink, P. (2004) ‘Bottleneck in the introduction of competition in public transport in the Netherlands’, in: Proceedings of the European Transport Conference, 4-6 October, Strasbourg, France.

Schaaffkamp, C. (2018) ‘Do direct awards lead to better public transport?’, Research in Transportation Economics, (69), pp. 218–226.

Schalekamp, H., Golub, A., and Behrens, R. (2016) ‘Approaches to paratransit reform’, in: Behrens, R., McCormick, D. and Mfinanga, D. (eds) Paratransit in African Cities: Operations, Regulation and Reform. London; New York: Routledge, pp. 100–124.

Sohail, M., Maunder, D.A.C., and Cavill, S. (2006) ‘Effective regulation for sustainable public transport in developing countries’, Transport Policy, 13(3), pp. 177–190.

Starshov, E.D., Ivanov, A.E., and Golubeva, A.A. (2025) ‘A user-based approach to urban passenger transport service quality measurement’, Upravlenets, 16(1), pp. 48–60.

Valkama, P., Kankaanpää, J., and Anttiroiko, A.-V. (2018) ‘Financial and structural impacts of quasi-marketization of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area’s bus services’, Case Studies on Transport Policy, 6(2), pp. 246–256.

van de Velde, D.M. (1999) ‘Organisational forms and entrepreneurship in public transport. Part 1: classifying organisational forms’, Transport Policy, 6(3), pp. 147–157.

Veeneman, W. (2010) ‘Changing public transport governance in Dutch metropoles: To tender or not to tender’, Research in Transportation Economics, 29(1), pp. 195–203.

Walters, J., and Cloete, D. (2008) ‘The South African experience with negotiated versus competitively tendered bus contracts’, Transportation Research Part A, 42(9), pp. 1163–1175.

Wegelin, P. (2018) ‘Is the mere threat enough? An empirical analysis about competitive tendering as a threat and cost efficiency in public bus transportation’, Research in Transportation Economics, (69), pp. 245–253.

Wong, Y.Z., and Hensher, D.A. (2018) ‘The Thredbo story: A journey of competition and ownership in land passenger transport’, Research in Transportation Economics, (69), pp. 9–22.