Yerevan Мayor Tigran Avinyan stated that avoiding paying the transport fee should be considered shameful and unacceptable.
Speaking at a municipal meeting, he noted that the amount of unpaid fares in the capital could have funded the purchase of two new buses every week.
“Calculations show that we have 70–80 million drams in unpaid fares weekly, which could have allowed us to buy two buses. In other words, those who do not pay complain that we are not purchasing more buses due to their own irresponsibility. Despite this, we buy buses every year and will continue to do so, improving quality. We are carrying non-paying passengers as a burden,” he said, Armenpress reports.
He stressed that no one should allow themselves to use public transport without paying.
The mayor also outlined recent steps taken to improve fare compliance, noting that validation rates in Yerevan have increased by 15% to 30% on average. He thanked responsible citizens and urged them to support drivers and public order officers in addressing fare evasion.
“In reality, although some individuals try to provoke drivers, they mostly remain calm. I want to thank them first of all,” he said.
Avinyan also pointed out that some fare evaders not only show no shame but also behave aggressively. According to him, several unpleasant incidents have recently been recorded in public transport.
“One particularly serious incident escalated into a fight, and there was an attack on a driver. I know that three individuals have been detained, and a fourth is involved in the case. I want to be sure they will be punished as strictly as possible. Any attack on a driver is not just against an individual, but against the city and the entire system,” he said.
He assured that once order is established in the sector, the quality of public transport in Yerevan will significantly improve.
