Moldova's first public transport service in Călărași, funded by Switzerland, offers regular trips to the district center
The localities of Tuzara, Nișcani and the town of Călărași will benefit from the first intra-community public transport service in the Republic of Moldova starting this summer. The initiative offers residents regular rides to the district center, facilitating access to medical services, public institutions, and jobs.
The project aimed at rehabilitating 2.3 km of road and sidewalks, setting up 14 waiting stations and purchasing four new minibuses, one of which was adapted for people with disabilities. For the comfort of passengers, flexible payment systems were also integrated: cash, QR code or SMS.
In the village of Nișcani, the new service responds to a need felt for years. According to locals, the lack of a regular route forced people to resort to taxi services, which entailed high costs, especially for the elderly.
“There were public consultations with the population when we had to implement this project and it was agreed that public transport was necessary, because people were traveling by taxi and they are old, they go to the polyclinic in Călărași and it was necessary”, declared a local woman, on the “Zi de Zi” show on Radio Moldova.
"For the people in the village, for everyone, it's very good. I'm satisfied. I also use this transport and it's very good, it runs regularly," said another woman.
The transport operates on several routes that connect the city of Călărași with the village of Nișcani and the localities of Tuzara, Novaci and Seliștea Nouă.
The introduction of regular routes has radically changed the way in which the inhabitants of the village of Novaci in the commune of Tuzara plan their trips.
“It was very difficult for us, because we only had the minibus twice a day. People couldn’t make it. Now it’s very good. The minibus passes, we have the possibility, we go when we want, we come when we want”, a mother with two children from Novaci told us.
The project also included the modernization of public transport infrastructure, said the mayor of Tuzara commune, Ion Rîpă.
"We have a timetable, we have minibuses, the platforms for the waiting stations have already been built through the project and co-financing from the city halls. Road signs are to be installed," said Ion Rîpă.
To develop the service, local authorities benefited from a grant of approximately 250,000 Swiss francs, offered by Switzerland through the "I'M INVOLVED" project.
The initiative is one of 12 supported in the second phase of the program, which runs from 2023 to 2027 and aims to improve local public services and involve citizens in the decision-making process.
