Taxi drivers in Russian regions cut shifts amid fuel crisis
Due to gasoline shortages, taxi drivers in some Russian regions are reducing shifts and avoiding long routes, according to a report by the Russian business daily Kommersant.
Taxi drivers in Russian regions affected by gasoline shortages have been reducing their shifts, Kommersant reported, citing market participants. The report did not specify which regions are most affected.
Sergey Privalov, a board member of the National Taxi Fleet Association, said drivers are taking fewer shifts, skipping long routes and trips to city centers out of fear of running out of fuel. Fleet operators estimate that between 5% and 10%, and in some cases up to 20%, of drivers have recently left the industry.
The taxi booking service Maxim confirmed that the number of active drivers on the road has been declining in several regions. Yandex Taxi, Russia's largest ride-hailing aggregator, declined to comment.
The drop in driver activity is also reflected in consumer spending data. According to the Sber Index service, spending on taxis, car-sharing, and car rentals fell by 3% in the week of June 22–28, even as overall spending across all goods and services categories rose by 7.9%.
Russia's fuel crisis has been ongoing for more than a month. A growing number of regions are introducing various restrictions on gasoline sales.
