On 21 July, part of the public transport routes in Aktau did not operate. From early morning, residents complained that buses were not running, and the 2GIS app was not showing movement on a number of routes.
According to the Kazinform news agency, the press service of the city akimat noted that a complete halt in services was not recorded — only certain routes operated by the companies Caspian Trans Corporation LLP and Caspian Auto Park LLP were idle.
It became known that the reason for the public transport downtime was a protest by drivers demanding higher wages, improved working conditions, and social support.
According to them, they are currently paid around 23,000 tenge per day, while in other regions the amount reaches 37,000–43,000 tenge. Furthermore, drivers claim they work 10 days in a row instead of the two days on, two days off schedule, leading to fatigue and accidents.
"Our main demand is to be paid 40,000–45,000 tenge per day. In that case, we are ready to serve the population with quality. At management's request, we are already forced to work 10 days in a row. That's the first problem — physical exhaustion. The second is constant rushing. The timetable clearly states the time, and no matter how tired you are, you must stick to it strictly. If you're late, passengers start complaining," said bus driver Bauyrzhan Zhumaniyazov.
Another driver, Itemgen Zhetekov, claims that due to new speed restrictions and the absence of conductors, it has become almost impossible to keep to the schedule, which also affects the quality of service.
"People leave home at five in the morning, arrive at the depot, and then work until ten in the evening. Although according to the employment contract, the working day should be from 6:00 to 18:30. That's the cause of most accidents — drivers fall asleep at the wheel. There is no lunch break; they demand everything is done on time. Now the speed limit across Kazakhstan has been reduced to 50 km/h. I, for example, take passengers to the dachas. The entire route — from start to finish — is allocated 53 minutes. How can you manage that with a permitted speed of 50 km/h? What's more, we no longer have conductors," he says.
The akimat reported that a working group was created to resolve the situation. Negotiations were held with drivers and employers, during which the parties discussed demands regarding wages, working conditions, and meal provisions.
It is noted that after the negotiations, buses resumed normal operation from 11:00.