The traffic police have begun a large scale inspection of minibus taxi drivers

A large inspection of minibuses has begun in Irkutsk. Traffic police and the transport association are checking vehicle condition and driver compliance with traffic rules. Hundreds of violations have already been found, including bald tires, faulty exits, missing documents, and drunk drivers. The association is also creating a blacklist of the most dangerous violators and plans to urge employers to fire them. Organizers say this will make commercial transport safer within six months.

At the initiative of the Irkutsk City Association of Motor Transport Enterprises, traffic police officers began yesterday checking the technical condition of route taxis and drivers’ compliance with traffic rules. The stated goal of the operation is to make commercial transport safer.
Over two days of the raid, the most common violations were identified — bald tires, broken glass, inoperative emergency exits, and the absence of various documents.
A total of 250 traffic violations were recorded, 2 drivers were detained in an intoxicated state, and 4 officials were held administratively liable — these are the results of the inspection at this point.
The Irkutsk City Association of Motor Transport Enterprises is compiling a so-called “blacklist of minibus drivers.” Out of nearly 3,000 drivers, it includes those who most often become involved in traffic accidents. The list will include drivers caught driving under the influence, those whose driving records include driving into oncoming traffic, failure to observe right-of-way rules at intersections, as well as a number of other serious violations.
Deputy head of the association Alexey Kolmakov said that about 100 people have already been placed on the “blacklist.” The association will recommend that employers terminate their employment contracts. And in order for this to take legal form, a multilateral agreement will be signed with all heads of motor transport enterprises in Irkutsk.
The organizers of the operation assure that the effect of such personnel screening will be visible in six months.