: “An electric bus in a fifteen-year cycle is cheaper than a trolleybus by almost 10% due to the fact that the price of a trolleybus correctly includes the cost of the car, and the service, and the costs that we spend, and the maintenance of the contact network, which some of our critics simply do not consider, removing from the account." Is it really? Let's try to figure it out.
To begin with, it is worth understanding what figures for electric buses generally exist in the public domain and how Liksutov can operate with them. First of all, these are data on the purchase of electric buses and charging stations. For example, let's take the purchase of KamAZ trucks for 6.3 billion rubles. According to it, one electric bus costs about 33 million rubles. In the same purchase, the cost of maintenance per kilometer for 2018 is calculated - 22.22 rubles.
The cost of purchasing an electric bus and charging. Source: public procurement website
What about trolleybuses? For example, autonomous trolleybuses are successfully operating in St. Petersburg, and this is exactly the public transport that Moscow needs, and not electric buses. In terms of purchases, the cost of such a trolleybus is about 20 million rubles. Already there is a difference of 13 million. The cost of service per kilometer for a trolley bus as a whole, not only for St. Petersburg, cannot cost more than 20 rubles (according to a source from Mosgortrans), there are simply no life cycle contracts for a higher price, and on average it is about 18 rubles per kilometer. Even if we take a bus example, which according to statistics is clearly more expensive than a trolleybus, the life cycle cost of LiAZ in bus depot 17 is 14 rubles per kilometer, even taking into account the inclusion of major repairs in the cost, it cannot exceed 17 rubles. And even if we take the maximum allowable 20 rubles per kilometer, it still comes out cheaper than an electric bus.
Electric bus maintenance cost. Source: public procurement website
Now about the contact network, which “critics are discounting”, its antonym in our case will be charging stations for electric buses, which cost almost 13 million to purchase. To find out the cost of the contact network, let's take a recent tender for its reconstruction in Polyanka under the My Street program. The cost of almost complete reconstruction amounted to 8 million rubles per kilometer.
The cost of rebuilding the contact network in Polyanka. Source: public procurement website
These are new wires, spare parts, fittings. Let's try to use these figures to calculate how much the trolleybus infrastructure on the current route 73 will cost. Now there are four charging stations on it, but only two of them are working, and the other two are not even connected. When the time comes for electric buses to charge, queues form near the charging stations, meaning that the current number of charging stations is not enough. For the stable operation of the route, 60 electric buses are needed, with planned use this is 15-20 charging stations, but with current breakdowns and problems, 34 charging stations are needed to have a reserve. The length of route 73 (according to the register) is 24.7 km, 195.4 million rubles will be needed for the overhaul of the trolleybus infrastructure. And it will be a fully and stably functioning route. For electric buses, as we calculated, 34 charging stations are needed, that is, almost 441 million rubles. At the same time, the service life of the contact network is 15-20 years, but in fact it can serve up to 30 years if you change small parts that cost a penny on a general scale. Therefore, this is a long-term and effective investment, and even a network built from scratch costs much less, requires virtually no maintenance costs and lasts much longer, unlike electric bus charging stations.
In addition, the current self-driving trolleybuses, like those in St. Petersburg, do not need wires throughout the entire route, even a little less than half is enough, that is, this is even less money. And given the constant breakdowns of charging stations due to imperfect technology, backup and emergency stations are needed.
The cost of a St. Petersburg trolleybus with autonomous running. Source: public procurement website
According to our sources from Mosgortrans, 5,000 rubles a month is spent on maintaining a kilometer of a contact network - mainly replacing small parts that deteriorate due to the climate, and maintaining a charging station costs 44,600 rubles per kilometer per month. Again, for the stable operation of route 73, 1.44 million rubles a year must be spent on servicing the contact network, and 18.2 million rubles a year on servicing charging stations. Of course, the trolleybus infrastructure is much cheaper, and we do not take into account the cost of installing charging stations, since these data simply do not exist. You can object, because you need to calculate the cost of the substation, which should feed the wires. But the fact is that the substations feed not only the contact network of trolleybuses, but also the charging stations of electric buses, so its cost does not matter for comparison. The argument about the high cost of the network disappears.
Charging maintenance cost. Source: public procurement website
As you know, the electric bus runs not only on electricity. Inside there is a diesel stove for heating. Its approximate fuel consumption is 3.5-4 liters per hour, that is, in 15-16 hours of operation, the electric bus turns into the equivalent of a small car and almost half of the bus. These are additional expenses for refueling and for the fuel itself. And let's not even mention the promised "green mode of transport."
The main part of the expenses in any enterprise is staff salaries. According to the response of Mosgortrans at the public hearing, it is planned to produce 34 electric buses instead of 22 trolleybuses on route 73 in order to reduce the waiting interval between them - electric buses need time to recharge. This is not only a big expense due to the use of more cars, but also a much higher cost for the wages of drivers. Even if we really assume that the electric bus is 10% cheaper, all these calculations crumble only from an increase in the number of cars by 12 units and a larger payroll. Drivers are certainly fine, in fact, they are paid for idle time while waiting for charging, but is this an efficient use of funds?
All these are numbers, let's move on to practice. And it shows that such a non-working technology in the future may require even more money for repairs and improvements. Not a single GOST for charging stations exists, it is not clear how they will be coordinated. Mosgortrans refers to the fact that this is a new technology and there are no requirements for it, but this is not so. There are GOSTs for electrical installations, so the situation is such that the installed stations are essentially illegal. And since there is no certification information on them, it is impossible to find out how much energy they consume. But, judging by how they heat up and break down, unable to withstand the voltage, they consume more than they can. They were installed as strange as possible - practically on the roadway, if snow falls and a snowplow drives, it will either demolish the station or fill it with snow, which will make it difficult to charge the electric bus, or simply damage it. In addition, according to information from cable laying specialists, the charging stations in Bibirevo that are now standing are powered by trolleybus wires, since the cable was not laid there, and at VDNKh everything was flooded with water during the laying of the cable, several cars were engaged in pumping water, but could not pump out all water. In fact, the cable is partially in the water. At any time, this can lead to an accident and the next expense for repairs.
Chinese batteries on the roofs of electric buses overheat, so the top of the bus is simply removed. Whether this can lead to an emergency if it rains or snows is not entirely clear, but a breakdown or even an explosion of the battery from overheating is a very likely tragedy. The electric buses do not have wiring harnesses, so only two of them have air conditioning. This, again, is additional spending on refinement and repair due to a fictitious non-working technology. I remember the story when Liksutov was going to fire people for non-working air conditioners (according to our information, no one has been fired yet). Where are the layoffs for a completely non-working electric bus?
In the same way, money that was spent on the reconstruction of the contact network is buried in the sand, and later it was decided to launch an electric bus on these routes. For example, as on the 76th trolleybus route. In 2016, poles and wires were replaced there, but now it is planned to launch an electric bus there. Under the program for the reconstruction of outbound highways, the trolleybus infrastructure of the Shchelkovo highway was reconstructed, but route 83 is also going to be changed to an electric bus. Money wasted. And there are a lot of such sites, what kind of savings is there?
In fact, we have untested, raw and inefficient electric bus technology, the calculations for which were carried out in an incomprehensible way. Where do 10% of cheapness come from compared to a trolleybus - it's hard to say, everything is broken down by the numbers of Mosgortrans itself. Moreover, the current trolleybus can be made even cheaper and not lose efficiency. For example, if you take inexpensive supports for a contact network, do not use expensive ribbed insulators, when wood has been effectively used all over the world for a long time and there is no need for expensive insulators. Small parts are replaced very often with us, due to the fact that Mosgortrans already buys the cheapest parts, while in Europe more expensive parts are used that do not require constant repairs, but everything comes out much more expensive for us. And all this leads to the fact that the authorities continue to destroy the trolleybus, and do not hesitate to adjust all the numbers to their goals, doing everything so that the trolleybus becomes ineffective in the eyes of the public.
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It's no secret that Moscow is removing trolleybuses from the city today. This is a premature and expensive decision for the environment and transport, but this is how decisions are made in our city - if the boss wants, then the metro will close.
But there is one problem - replacing electric vehicles with gasoline in the 21st century is bad for the reputation, everyone understands this. It would be possible to replace all trolleybus lines with a tram, but this is from the category of fantasy. Therefore, a compromise was found - electric buses. Now just many cities are experimenting with it, so Moscow also decided to join this club. In addition, the name "electric bus" gives innovation and futurism.
In 3 years, Moscow will refuse buses running on motor fuel: we will only buy electric buses. The ecology of the city will benefit greatly
— Sergei Sobyanin (@MosSobyanin) July 21, 2017
The city intends to stop buying gasoline buses from 2020. Therefore, now everyone is trying to decide on the future type of electric bus - for this, various models are regularly brought for testing, and by the end of this year a technical building for mass purchases will be drawn up. The first full-time electric buses will have to leave the lines with passengers in August 2018.
Recharging on the go
The first type of electric buses are autonomous trolleybuses. Yes, the line between transport is gradually blurring. Therefore, it can be called both an electric bus with battery recharging from a contact network, and an autonomous trolleybus.
There are routes with such electric buses in Tula, Novosibirsk, Beijing and other cities. A good solution for cities where infrastructure with a contact network already exists. It removes the issues of creating substations and wires in new areas, but leads to a rise in the cost of rolling stock.
In Moscow, there are also such models - new trolleybuses with autonomous running.
Night charging
These are heavy electric buses that charge for several hours (about 5-6 hours), and then go along the route all day. It will not work to make transport around the clock with such machines (hello Bukashka). Large capacities are needed to simultaneously charge the entire fleet of electric buses in one night, but this makes it possible not to create intermediate stations at stops and end stations. This type of electric bus is predominant in China.
There are now two such electric buses in Moscow: from LiAZ and Yutong from Zhengzhou.
LiAZ has been running the M2 route since February this year. The power reserve according to the passport is 200 km. For comparison, the average route in Moscow is about 300 km. Accommodates 90 passengers. They say there were problems in the cold.
The maximum speed is 80 km/h. 
Charging in Filevsky Park: 
Yutong has just arrived in the city, but he will travel with bags - there is no certification for working with passengers. But in China it works regularly on the line. Power reserve - 200 km. Seats for 73 passengers.
The maximum speed is 69 km/h. 
Night charging station: 
Intermediate charge
The batteries are charged by the electric bus in short sessions at stops and end stations. You need fast charging, but the weight of the batteries is less. There is a problem of supplying power to stops, but in Moscow, as I understand it, this can be solved by using trolleybus substations. Just recently. Such electric buses are being actively tested in Europe.
In Moscow, KAMAZ of the first and second generations, the Finnish Linkker 13 and the Belarusian BKM were tested.
KAMAZ of the first generation went on the M2 route last year for two months and received a bunch of comments. Power reserve - 100 km with a maximum speed of 65 km / h.
Removable batteries
There is another tricky type of electric bus with replaceable batteries. At the end stations or in the park, the staff makes a pit ston, exchanging dead batteries for charged ones. A minimum of time and hemorrhoids, but so far this is done in China only on high-floor machines. That is, by.
If the government does not change, now the terms of reference for a full-time Moscow electric bus have been sent to experts and manufacturers for evaluation and adjustments. Public discussions are promised in the autumn, after which the mass purchase of equipment will begin. So far, little is known, such as localization of production, service life cycle, USB charging, and so on.
It is not clear what the price of equipment will be, but we can definitely say that it will be expensive. Both purchase and content. At his lecture, the director of Mosgortrans at the end of May said that electric buses are 30% more expensive to maintain than buses.
The Chinese, for example, have not yet named the price of their electric buses. On the one hand, this business is subsidized by the state, so they now have the largest fleet of electric buses in the world, on the other hand, they need a large order to localize production, that is, the unit price will not work now.
As part of the Busworld Russia-2018 specialized exhibition of bus equipment, KAMAZ presented another novelty - a large-class urban low-floor trolleybus KAMAZ-62825 with increased autonomous travel.
It is adapted for passenger traffic in cities where there are contact networks for trolleybuses, the company's press service reports.
The new model will expand the scope of KAMAZ electric transport without attracting additional investments, since all the necessary infrastructure has already been created. The autonomous running of the trolleybus is more than 20 km, which allows it to pass a significant part of the city route without contact networks, avoid accidents or change its route in case of force majeure.
At the same time, the power reserve is fully restored from the contact network in just 20 minutes. Energy recovery is provided during braking, which allows you to return kinetic energy back to the drives, thereby saving electricity. This is especially noticeable when driving around the city with a large number of stops and braking in front of them.
A traction battery is used as an energy storage device - lithium-titanate batteries (LTO). Batteries of this type are used on KAMAZ electric buses and have already proved themselves positively during operation.
The spacious and comfortable interior of the trolleybus has 33 seats, a ramp and a place for attaching a wheelchair. In total, the trolleybus will be able to carry 85 people.
The basic package includes glued tinted windows, a panoramic windshield with sun blinds, an electronic route indicator, and anti-vandal seats. The salon is illuminated with LED lamps. The driver's seat is adjustable, pneumatic, with a three-point seat belt.
At the request of the client, the trolleybus can be equipped with a climate system and video surveillance, it is possible to order the original body color according to the buyer's color card.
Also at the Busworld Russia exhibition, the company showed the KAMAZ-6282 electric bus, a modification of which is now being delivered to Mosgortrans. It was demonstrated in tandem with the UFC-240 ultra-fast charging station. In addition, the KAMAZ-1221 drone, better known as "Sh.A.T.L." (Widely Adaptive Transport Logistics). The vehicle of an especially small class was developed by KAMAZ together with NAMI and is intended for movement on paved roads using data from digital maps, navigation systems and technical vision.
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Autonomous trolleybus
S. I. PARFENOV, General Director of OAO Sibeltransservice
In Novosibirsk, on the route "Airport Tolmachevo" - the metro station "Zaeltsovskaya", a new trolleybus ST6217M has been operating for more than a year. The length of the route in single-track terms is 45.56 km, of which 17 km the trolleybus moves without a contact network, feeding the engine from a lithium-ion battery (LIA).
The vehicle, which can be considered unique in terms of a number of basic characteristics, was created by several enterprises - the Liotech LLC plant, Sibeltransservice OJSC, Siberian Trolleybus LLC, NPF Irbis LLC, NPF Ars-Term LLC ”, Research Institute of Solid State Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk State Technical University, with the participation of transport enterprises of the Novosibirsk City Hall and its leaders.
Principle of operation and technical characteristics
The mileage of the prototype in the electric bus mode was 60 km with the full mass of the trolleybus. This indicator in practice will be significantly higher, since the actual occupancy during operation on the line is much less than the maximum.
A large autonomous run of the trolleybus is ensured by installing a LIB battery under the floor, consisting of 144 batteries. Battery capacity - 240 Ah. The weight of the battery is 1060 kg, which is just over 5% of the total weight of the trolleybus.
The batteries are recharged when the trolleybus, after running in the electric bus mode, moves under the contact network, as well as when braking in both modes: the kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy and goes to recharge. Separation from the contact network and installation of current collectors are carried out by pressing a button from the driver's cab.
Battery life is determined by operating conditions - in particular, the number of cycles, which, in turn, depends on the degree of discharge during the cycles. If the conditions are such that the battery discharge reaches 50-60%, i.e., there is a deviation from the contact network by 30-40 km, then the service life will be 8-10 thousand cycles.
fishing, or 9-10 years. The shorter the autonomous range, the longer the battery life. The trolleybus manufacturer, after familiarizing himself with the route and operating conditions, gives recommendations for operation.
Route No. 401 has been operating for more than a year, and no changes in the technical characteristics of the batteries have yet been detected.
There are no analogues of this model. Currently, factories produce trolleybuses with an autonomous course of up to 500 m, which are capable of bypassing obstacles at low speed, such as an accident site. Trans-Alfa OJSC previously produced a supercapacitor-powered trolleybus with an autonomous run of up to 5 km, but it required a large number of charging stations, and the project was not widely used.
Key Benefits
Possessing such properties as autonomous running and increased maneuverability, electric rolling stock
can pass special parts of the contact network (arrows, intersections) at high speed with lowered pantographs - which, in turn, allows you to remove the contact network and its special parts from individual streets and squares.
Thanks to the introduction of the novelty, trolleybus routes can be extended by 30-40 km, and the trolleybus route network can be expanded due to the possibility of moving from one trolleybus line to another.
Buses, the route of which partially coincides with the trolleybus route, it would be advisable to replace them with trolleybuses. The cost of a bus for energy per 1 km of run is 2.5-3 times higher than that of a trolleybus on LIB, which spends 1.8 kWh per 1 km of run, taking into account losses in the lines, or 1.2 kWh according to the meter installed on the trolleybus. Thus, the replacement will:
Save on the cost of the energy component of the cost of passenger transportation;
Increase the density of the rolling stock at the feeder and save electricity by increasing the consumption of recuperated electricity during braking;
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Improve the energy efficiency of existing energy systems in general;
Reduce operating costs due to greater reliability and durability of the trolleybus.
In addition, a trolleybus with LIB makes it possible to additionally save up to 20% of traction electricity. Such a trolleybus, moving under the contact network, provides a permanent consumer in the form of charging LIBs, which constantly consume energy recuperated during braking by both the trolleybus itself and other trolleybuses. The total savings in traction electricity, taking into account savings in the elimination of ballast start-brake resistance, according to the most conservative estimates, will be about 50%.
The development of the route network of an environmentally friendly mode of transport will not require any additional financial costs - for example, the expansion of contact-cable lines and traction substations. At the same time, the energy and economic efficiency of using the existing infrastructure of urban electric transport will increase, which will significantly improve the economy of this industry and, as a result, restrain the growth of transportation tariffs.
The energy costs of the ST6217M trolleybus for a one-day run of 200 km are about 600 rubles, the costs of an ordinary trolleybus are 1000 rubles, and the costs of a bus are 2000 rubles. Thus, a trolleybus running a LIB only due to low energy costs saves about 0.5 million rubles. in year. I believe that this is a serious argument for carriers in favor of changing the bus to a trolley bus.
Next steps
Trial operation of the ST6217M trolleybus makes it possible to predict the onset of a period of rapid development of electric transport - electric buses and electric vehicles.
Since trolleybus traffic with all the necessary infrastructure is widely developed in Russia and a number of countries near and far abroad (88 cities in our country have trolleybus networks), it is advisable to start the mass operation of electric vehicles with such transitional models as trolleybuses with a large autonomous run on LIA. It is the existing material and technical base of urban electric transport, its infrastructure that will make it possible to start mass operation of electric transport without preparation, develop it and improve it.
The introduction of trolleybuses with LIB and energy-saving electronic drives is an important step in the development of the public transport system, the energy system of our country and its economy as a whole.
The project has a multi-purpose value, and the goals are divided into national and local values. The public ones include:
Preparation of various power systems for the mass operation of electric transport;
Development of an efficient, economical, reliable, competitive vehicle in the world markets;
Restraining the growth of the cost of transporting passengers on urban routes, the growth of tariffs for transport services and, accordingly, social tension in the country.
The goals of local importance are:
Development of the urban electric transport network;
Increasing the share of environmentally friendly, cost-effective large-capacity transport;
Improving the energy efficiency of existing energy supply systems and fixed assets of urban electric transport;
Development on the basis of existing energy systems of a network of charging stations for future electric buses and electric vehicles.
Given the scale and degree of novelty of the project, the originality of the created vehicle and the practical difficulty of replacing the existing fleet of trolleybuses and buses with trolleybuses with a large autonomous course and electric buses, it should be recognized that further advancement of the project requires fundamental decisions to be made at the first stage. In particular, it is necessary to move towards the creation of private trolleybus routes or routes with mixed forms of ownership, and we can take part in this process.
The increase in electric vehicles through the use of trolleybuses with a large autonomous course is impossible without a programmatic approach, which should include:
Calculation of the capacity of existing contact-cable lines, determination of technical measures that increase their capacity;
Creation of complex route schemes in large cities and their agglomerations;
Creation of municipal, private and mixed ownership routes using trolleybuses with a large autonomous course;
Experimental operation of trolleybuses with a large autonomous course and the creation on its basis of a more advanced electric vehicle.
To achieve practical results in the implementation of the project, a federal program is needed to develop electric transport as the main mode of transport, the initiator of which would be to see the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.
General Director of State Unitary Enterprise "Mosgortrans" - about how the public transport of the capital will change after the completion of the "My Street" program.
The improvement program “My Street” is coming to an end in the capital. Evgeny Mikhailov, General Director of State Unitary Enterprise Mosgortrans, told in an interview when trolleybuses without "horns" will run along the renovated streets and how the improvement helps to establish a bus connection between sleeping areas and the city center. He also said that in September they will introduce a single authorization for free Wi-Fi in the subway and ground transport, and by the end of the year they will release a mobile application with an alarm clock that reminds of the arrival of the bus.
— Yevgeny Fedorovich, the My Street program provides for the expansion of pedestrian spaces. But at the same time, almost everywhere where repairs are underway, the lanes of the roadway are narrowing. Will this affect public transport?
— Road lanes in the capital before the improvement were divided unevenly. Six lanes for transport of one street turned into four, and four - on some sections of the road - turned into two lanes. Because of this, the so-called bottlenecks were formed - bottlenecks. Because of this, there were traffic difficulties in the city.
During the improvement, the number of lanes on the roads was equalized. The width of the leased line is now 3.75 - four meters, which is quite enough for public transport to pass without any problems for other road users.
All allocated lanes are preserved in the city, new ones appear, there can be no difficulties for public transport. Moreover, we are launching new routes and plan to saturate the central part of the city with public transport.
The frequency of public transport in the center will increase by three to four times
— Which new routes will appear and which ones will disappear after the improvement?
— None of the public transport routes in the center will disappear. After the completion of work on the My Street program this year and the launch of traffic on the renovated Kremlin Ring, we will receive an additional dedicated lane from Lubyanka to Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge and will be able to increase the frequency of traffic on the routes. Already from September, almost 80 units of rolling stock will be added in the central part of the city in various directions - buses and trolleybuses. The frequency of public transport in the center will increase by three to four times. Citizens will have the opportunity to quickly and directly from remote areas of the capital to get to the center.
The “My Street” improvement program does not end this year, and we will continue, depending on the commissioning of new dedicated lanes, to create transport links from Moscow Ring Road to any central street of the city.
This year we will connect the Moscow Ring Road along Leninsky Prospekt with the Lubyanka metro station
— That is, new leased lines are plans for the next year?
— Basically yes. But already this year we will connect the Moscow Ring Road along Leninsky Prospekt with the Lubyanka metro station.
Already in the fall, we will return the trolleybus to Tverskaya Street - to the T1 route
So, with the launch of a dedicated lane on the Kremlin Ring, route 144 (Teply Stan - Bolotnaya Ploshchad) will be extended to the Lubyanka station, the bus interval will be five to seven minutes.
Already in the fall, we will return the trolleybus to Tverskaya Street - to route T1. Trolleybuses with increased autonomous running, which will travel along this route, will be able to cover 15 kilometers without being connected to the contact network. Previously, the route of this route did not reach the end of Tverskaya, and the trolleybus turned onto the Boulevard Ring and only then left for Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge. Now it will go through the entire Tverskaya Street, then along the Kremlin Ring to the Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge along a new dedicated lane.
We never had a goal to replace trolleybus routes with buses
— Tell us more about trolleybuses with increased autonomous running, how many of these will there be in the capital?
— A trolleybus with increased autonomous running can pass even on those sections of streets where there is no contact network. It is equipped with a battery that is recharged in those places where there is a contact network. We ordered 12 of these machines. The manufacturer is due to start shipping in September. The new trolleybuses will cross the city center autonomously, without power from the contact network, due to the battery charge. In fact, this is an experiment. It is necessary to evaluate how such transport will cope with work in Moscow, taking into account climatic features and metropolitan traffic.
By the end of 2017, we plan to assemble 90 trolleybuses to operate on Moscow routes
— And what trolleybus routes will be replaced by buses?
— We never had a goal to replace trolleybus routes with buses. In Moscow, only one percent of the contact network was dismantled. And the trolleybuses that ran on these sections of streets before the wires were dismantled were redirected to other routes where there is a contact network.
I must say right away that, despite the fears of the townspeople, we did not have a single complaint from people who use these routes on a daily basis.
By the end of 2018, 300 thirty-meter trams will be purchased
No one said: "I feel bad, I feel uncomfortable in the new bus, give me back my old trolleybus." On the contrary, we have a large number of applications and requests regarding the replacement of trolleybuses with buses in other parts of the city. However, I repeat once again that all these reports about the liquidation were not true.
Until the end of 2017, the Sokolniki Car Repair and Construction Plant, a branch of the State Unitary Enterprise Mosgortrans, plans to assemble 90 trolleybuses to operate on Moscow routes.
In addition, we have planned a large program for the development and renovation of trams in Moscow. By the end of 2018, 300 thirty-meter trams will be purchased. The appearance of the city tram and the perception of this type of public transport by passengers will change.
— And what happens to trolleybus drivers while buses temporarily leave their routes? Are they fired?
— About 15,000 drivers work for us, and the city needs 18,000. We even take people without skills, teach, prepare, and examine ourselves. The trolleybus drivers whose routes have been replaced by buses continue to work on other trolleybus routes in the city.
— Do you have some kind of driver retraining program if they want to drive a bus instead of a tram, for example?
— Yes, of course, such a program exists. Each driver can choose the type of transport that he likes best. Therefore, the program of retraining and obtaining additional qualifications is in great demand. Many tram or trolleybus drivers get the driver's license for a bus, bus drivers get the driver's license for a trolleybus or tram.
— Mosgortrans has recently tested several electric buses. How exactly are they tested?
— Tests are carried out at our factories. Electric buses are being tested on an experimental route network, they work with passengers. That is, we observe how electrical equipment behaves in conditions close to real. Before purchasing electric buses and taking them into operation, we must test all types of electrical equipment, all types of batteries, in order to choose the best. After all, if tomorrow these electric buses stop working, the question will arise: the money has been spent, people are not driving, the electric buses are standing still, and who should be responsible? This approach applies to the selection of all transport. Moscow needs the best buses, electric buses, trolleybuses and trams.
The Belarusian trolleybus with a diesel generator set will be tested before the end of the year. Kamazovsky - until the end of October. Chinese model of electric bus may arrive in October
— How long will the samples that are now at your enterprise be tested?
— The Belarusian trolleybus with a diesel generator set will be tested before the end of the year. Kamazovsky - until the end of October. Then we may continue testing. A Chinese sample of an electric bus may come to us in October. We plan to test it in the conditions of the Russian winter, since these machines have never been operated in sub-zero temperatures.
Almost 80 percent of the rolling stock of ground public transport is equipped with access to free internet
— By the end of the year, it was planned to make Wi-Fi available to all passengers of land urban transport. How is this project developing?
— Nearly 80 percent of the rolling stock of ground public transport is equipped with access to free internet. In September, together with the metro, we will complete activities to synchronize access to Wi-Fi networks. By registering in one of the networks, the user will have access to the other.
— How serious is the problem with free riders in land transport now?
— We are quite effective in dealing with this problem: since the beginning of the year, more than 14,000 illegally used social cards have been confiscated. Unfortunately, people still drive on other people's social cards. Usually they take them from their parents or grandparents. Since the beginning of the year, controllers have also identified 50,000 stowaways.
Instead of waiting at a bus stop, a person will drink coffee or go shopping, and the application will warn him about the approach of public transport
— When will the Mosgortrans mobile application with all routes start working?
— This year. The user will be able to build a route taking into account trips by metro, along the Moscow Central Ring, suburban railway. Each smartphone may have an interactive scoreboard of any stop with a timetable for the arrival of transport, a forecast of the time that will have to be spent on the road.
Users of the application will not only see the schedule and routes, but will also be able to set reminders and alarms that will not let them forget about the upcoming trip. Each time, based on the forecast for the arrival of a bus, trolleybus or tram, the passenger will receive a reminder. And this means that his life will become more comfortable. Instead of waiting at a bus stop, a person will drink coffee or go shopping, and the application will warn him about the approach of public transport.
67 bus routes transferred to other transport companies
— In the summer, private buses began to run through the streets of Moscow. How many routes did Mosgortrans hand over to private traders?
— developed a new route network. And within the framework of the general program, 67 bus routes were transferred for further operation to other transport companies. For us, this is not a reduction in transport work, because all the released rolling stock is redirected to strengthen existing routes. There, the frequency of traffic increases, the quality of passenger traffic improves.
Now about 1,400 private buses of medium and large capacity run in the city, there are very few buses of small capacity.
