Omsk Oblast centralizes passenger transport under new regional authority

Omsk Oblast is set to shift control of its passenger transport system away from local councils. The change will place all oversight under a newly formed Regional Traffic Management Center. This move follows similar reforms in other Russian regions over the past year. The new agency was created in July 2025 under the Ministry of Transport. Its first director, Ruslan Dushenko, previously led the traffic supervision division at Omsk's branch of Russia's State Traffic Safety Inspectorate (GIBDD). His appointment marks a shift from municipal management to centralised regional control.

The center has already begun operations by taking charge of traffic cameras across Omsk Oblast. If approved, the full transfer of passenger transport authority will end the current system, where city and district governments handle local routes and services. Several other regions, such as Novosibirsk, Sverdlovsk, Tver, and Kostroma oblasts, have already made this transition. Omsk's proposal will now go before a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly for final review.

The reform would remove passenger transport decisions from municipal hands. Instead, a single regional body will manage all services, including buses, trams, and other public transport. The exact timeline for the handover remains unclear until the assembly's decision is announced.