Smart Move: Double the use of buses and coaches in Russia and the CIS region

Nizhny Novgorod – After Kortrijk, Brussels, Istanbul and Shanghai, the Smart Move campaign was launched in Russia and the CIS region on 30 June 2010 during the opening of the largest regional bus and coach show, Busworld Russia, in the presence of some 400 leading political and business representatives, including the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Mr. Valery Shantsev.

Vladimir Florea, President of AITA (Moldova) and Chairman of the IRU CIS Liaison Committee to Eurasia, said: “The demand for an affordable, safe and environmentally-friendly mobility in all our countries is enormous. Buses and coaches meet precisely this demand. They are the right answer at the right time, both for society and politicians. Supporting the Smart Move campaign is a matter of intelligent and rational choices our politicians have to make today to meet tomorrow’s challenges.”

Valery Barulin, Director of All Russia Private Joint Stock Company Nizhegorodskaya Yarmarka, emphasised , «Actively promoting buses as one of the most user-friendly and safe mode of passenger transport is, of course, a priority as passenger transport by buses and coaches is dramatically growing in cities, as well as in interurban transport systems. In the true sense of the word, the Smart Move campaign is instrumental in increasing popular use of buses and coaches and drawing maximum attention of public authorities to these modes of transport».

At a time when the demand for mobility in Russia and the other CIS countries is growing exponentially, promoting buses and coaches and implementing the policy and business objective of doubling their use will bring substantial benefits to society and communities in terms of:

better social inclusiveness and increased opportunities for all citizens to rely on affordable and high quality transport services at negligible costs for society;
considerable improvement in road safety and reduction of road fatalities;
decrease in CO2 emissions and a spectacular reduction of congestion in cities at zero cost for taxpayers;
creation of millions of new jobs.

“For the road transport industry, increasing the use of buses and coaches to actually double their use, is not only a realistic policy and business objective, but also a most commendable goal from a public interest point of view”, added Graham Smith, IRU Vice President and CEO of Heyfordian Travel (UK), “since buses and coaches, together with taxis, are the only transport mode which can successfully compete with private cars while maintaining a high degree of flexibility.”

* * *