The fight against illegal transport operators in Odesa is gaining momentum. A recent audit by the "Odesa Road Control" organization revealed that the transport operators are unwilling to operate officially. It was discovered that the only documents the illegal transport operators possess are contracts for trips from Odesa. However, they have no agreements with the bus station, meaning they pay no taxes or insurance. The drivers risk their passengers every day.
"Transporters evade taxes, blaming the fact that contracting with the bus station is unprofitable, from their perspective. However, this doesn't prevent bona fide transport operators from doing business with the bus station legally. Illegal transporters sell their services just a few meters from the bus station, and people are tempted because it's cheaper, but there's zero safety and no normal transportation conditions," said Oleksiy Bulgar, head of Odesa Road Control. "Illegal transporters bear no responsibility for the lives of passengers, as they lack the necessary documentation, including insurance."
At the bus station, we were met by touts who told us they could take us to Kherson and Mykolaiv for next to nothing. They recommended using the nearby minibuses. Several buses were parked in the bus station bay, significantly slowing traffic. The drivers and touts initially greeted the journalists and activists with caution, but then they went on the offensive.
"I'm not allowing you to film the bus. Who are you? You have no right to film here, you'd better film your own!" shouted one of the illegal bus operators.
An attempt to buy a ticket for the Odessa-Kherson flight was unsuccessful. The driver, who sometimes claimed to be a passenger, sometimes a passerby, refused to sell it. It turned out he didn't have any tickets, and after a brief argument, the airline announced the flight had been canceled, allegedly due to a breakdown.
"This minibus belongs to the carrier Pospolita Service, which fails to fulfill its obligations and operates illegally on a daily basis," noted Irina Zhikova, head of the Odessa Central Bus Station. "Since the carrier doesn't have a contract with us, they have no right to enter the bus station grounds and, in violation of all regulations, pick up passengers directly from the roadway."
A company representative, a certain Konstantin, disagreed with this opinion, stating that the transport company allegedly had a package of permits. However, he did not provide them to the press or the bus station manager.
"Where did you come from? If you want documents, submit an official request to the company," he said. "We have documents, but we won't show them to you."
Ultimately, despite the reported breakdown, the driver of the Odessa-Kherson bus decided to continue the route. Activists attempted to prevent him by blocking traffic, but he managed to break through. Odessa Road Control and the bus station expressed hope that justice will soon prevail, and that Odessa will soon become a model of civilized passenger transportation, free of illegal operators, kickbacks, and profiteering officials.
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