Today, at a briefing held at the information platform of the Regional Communications Service of Shymkent, the official representative of the Shymkent city akimat, deputy city akim - Sarsen Abayuly Kuranbek, made the following statement:
Recently, various complaints about public transport in Shymkent have been circulating on social media. In particular, a video of a bus on route No. 52 being overcrowded with students has attracted a lot of attention.
The city administration and responsible institutions did not ignore the problem and took appropriate measures. Currently, bus route No. 52 operates with 18 buses on weekdays at 10–15 minute intervals, and with 16 buses on weekends and holidays at 15–20 minute intervals.
Taking into account numerous requests and complaints from residents, the route's traffic pattern has been revised. The route, which previously ran in a roundabout direction and ended at the "TsUM" stop on Kunayev Street, has now been extended to T. Aibergenov Street. This change has allowed passengers to reach their destination more conveniently and reduce the need to change buses.
In addition, additional information on the issue raised in the video: today there are about 300,000 students in the city, but only 30,647 of them have issued a travel card. The remaining students use public transport without a card, which affects the reduction in the number of actual transactions and limits the possibility of increasing the number of buses on the route in accordance with the legislation.
In some cases, students have a card but do not register using a validator. Such actions hinder effective planning of public transport traffic and accurate determination of passenger flow.
In this regard, residents and parents are advised to promptly issue their children's travel cards and ensure that they register with the validator on each trip. This is an important step that will improve the quality of the route and contribute to the launch of additional buses.
It is worth noting that today it is possible to apply for a student travel card online. Now there is no need to go to a special place - it is enough to enter the student's data and submit an application through the website jenil.avtobys.kz . The entire process is free of charge. A physical version of the card is not required, and travel payment is made using a QR code through a mobile application on the phone.
Thus, the updated traffic plan for route No. 52 and the widespread use of the electronic map system will facilitate the convenient and efficient use of public transport by Shymkent residents.