ArmenPress
Nov. 1, 2004

YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY PROMISES TO EASE COMMUTERS’ PROBLEMS

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: A senior official of the Yerevan
municipality reiterated today previous promises to bring some 130
passenger buses from Ukraine and Belarus by the end of the year to ease
commuters’ problems, who often have to wait for tens of minutes to
squeeze into one of mini-buses that can carry a dozen people only.
Tigran Nazarian, the head of the transport department of the
municipality said 3,000 mini-buses operate in the capital, but they are
not enough to transport passengers, especially in rush hours.
Last year the municipality brought some 30 buses, mainly from
France. Previous state-run bus companies were privatized in 1997 and
now there is only one such company in Yerevan. Nazarian said companies
refuse to bring buses on grounds that they do not bring profits as
their fares are 70 drams against 100 drams charged by mini-buses. He
said bus fares may be revised and set at 100 drams.
Nazarian said also buses will be brought up to 2007 and by that time
Yerevan municipality is expected to run 1000 buses. He said some 20
buses and trolley-buses are coming soon from French Lyon.