Kyiv lacks drivers for additional buses, and free travel requires specific funding. Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated this in response to the president's instruction to prepare the relevant program and reserve transport for the capital. The mayor reported this on Facebook.
Additional Buses in Kyiv: Why There is a Lack of Drivers in November 2026
According to Klitschko, due to the non-functioning electric transport, the number of bus routes in the capital has increased to 129. There are 418 buses operating on these routes, servicing 685 drivers. Private carriers provide an additional 114 routes, using 680 minibuses.
Kyivpastrans has 25 technically sound buses ready to go into service. However, they need at least 50 more drivers with category D licenses. New workers must undergo training, and the company, as the mayor explained, cannot reserve them due to an established limit.
To replace the subway in terms of passenger volume, Klitschko estimates that up to 1020 buses will be required. However, these will depend on traffic jams and will not ensure the regularity of the subway. Therefore, even increasing the fleet will not itself solve all the public transport problems.
Free Travel in Kyiv: Who Should Cover the Transport Costs
A separate issue concerns compensating the costs to carriers. Klitschko stated that over 11 years, the state owes Kyiv more than 8 billion UAH in subsidies for transporting privileged passengers. According to him, these costs are covered by the city budget. The mayor urged the government to first repay the owed funds.
Volodymyr Zelensky instructed on November 8 to prepare a program for free travel specifically in urban surface transport and ensure a reserve of buses. This concerns supporting transport during subway failures or restrictions on bridges. The date of launch and the sources of funding were not specified in the instruction.
Thus, the president's instruction does not yet mean the cancellation of payment. Separate decisions regarding funding and organization of transport are needed to launch the program. The issue of financing arises against the backdrop of a decrease in Kyiv's passenger flow: in October, surface transport carried 40% fewer passengers than a year earlier.