INDICATORS OF THE ADOPTION OF A CONTRACTING SYSTEM FOR REGULAR PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES IN RUSSIA

Abstract

The organisational transformation of local public transport in Russia is currently underway. The existing legislative framework, based on Federal Law No. 220 of 13 July 2015, provides two alternative approaches: transportation at non-regulated fares (based on route permits) and transportation at regulated fares (based on public procurement contracts). The latter offers greater opportunities for improving service quality and is therefore preferred for public transport system reforms. This article examines the extent of contract system implementation through an analysis of the Russian public procurement contract registry over a ten-year period from 2015 to 2024. Using proposed implementation indicators, the study assesses whether authorities continue to use contracts consistently after the initial transition, and identifies the types of regional and municipal authorities that adopted the contract system earlier and employ it on a larger scale. The article characterises the degree of implementation of the contract system in the field of regular passenger transport, providing an assessment of the practical application of Federal Law No. 220-FZ ten years after its adoption.