Russian Duma Proposes Simplifying Regulations for Private Taxi Drivers

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The first meeting of the working group dedicated to drafting a new bill on the operation of private taxi drivers took place at the Russian Ministry of Transport. The document is intended to establish separate rules for self-employed individuals who use their personal vehicles and collaborate with ride-hailing platforms (aggregators).

As Sergey Lisovsky told TASS, the working group is currently collecting proposals from market participants. Key topics under discussion include verifying the status of self-employed drivers, rules for interacting with online platforms, replacing daily medical examinations with annual check-ups, and introducing insurance coverage during trips.

According to the MP, the main barriers for private drivers are mandatory daily pre-trip medical examinations, regular vehicle inspections, requirements for color schemes, and mandatory inclusion in the taxi registry. These regulations, he believes, effectively close the market to those who want to earn extra income using their personal cars.

Lisovsky noted that discussions on the bill have revealed serious disagreements between government agencies. In his view, some ministries continue to rely on an outdated regulatory model inherited from the Soviet era, when the focus was exclusively on public transport.

"It is crucial for us to hear the voices of millions of drivers who provide transportation services in areas where municipal transport cannot cope," he stressed.

The MP also believes that the traditional public transport system is only effective in areas with high population density and short distances, primarily in large metropolitan areas or intercity routes. Attempts to impose strict requirements on private drivers in sparsely populated regions, he called an outdated approach.

He believes it is necessary to create a separate, more flexible regulatory framework for drivers using their personal vehicles, reducing excessive requirements, such as mandatory daily medical exams. Previously, as the MP recalled, the Russian State Duma had already discussed the possibility of separating regulations for taxi fleets and private drivers.