"We should not expect a significant increase in tariffs - the competition is too high, and the price increase will most likely correlate with the inflation rate," says Ruslan Fatykhov, director of the Kazan branch of the financial group BCS . "But a certain consolidation in the market will undoubtedly occur," he continues. "The companies that can offer drivers the most favorable conditions for jointly solving the problems that have arisen will survive."

Since December 8, when Tatarstan municipalities began issuing permits for passenger transportation, 100 documents have been issued, Minister of Transport and Road Facilities Lenar Safin said at a briefing yesterday. According to the ministry, there are 16,000-16,500 taxi drivers in the republic, and the authorities are ready to provide them with free permits. Permits are issued to both those working for taxi companies and individual drivers (they must be registered as individual entrepreneurs), so the authorities can increase the number of permits to 30,000. Documents are issued within two days upon presentation of a passport, driver's license, car license (at least five years of experience) and a technical inspection certificate. The car must be equipped with an orange lamp, checkered pattern and a taximeter, and from January 1, 2013, it must also be painted white or yellow - these colors for taxis were approved by deputies of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Safin hopes that the innovations will make Tatarstan taxis "a recognizable brand, like, for example, London taxis." He believes that the new rules will not have much of an impact on the market and will not affect the fare (currently, the average bill in Kazan is 150 rubles).

Company representatives, on the contrary, predict price increases and a redistribution of the market.

"According to my information, in Kazan only FM-taxi has its own full-fledged fleet of vehicles," says Gulnara Valiullina, director of Premium Taxi. "The majority of taxi companies operate as dispatch services with hired drivers - car owners. They will have to register as individual entrepreneurs and, accordingly, pay taxes of about 26,000 rubles per year. Of course, many will not want to work in such conditions or, if they want, will raise prices by 20-30%." In her opinion, several major companies will remain on the market, the rest will either cease to exist or go into the shadows. "We had to stop working with clients in the form of taxi calls, we left only corporate transportation and car rental," Valiullina states.

"We have 150 of our own cars, there will be no problems with them," says Ilgiz Siraziyev, deputy director of FM-taxi. "There are another 50 private drivers, their plans are unknown to us." He does not rule out that the company will lose 20-30% of the private drivers working with it.

Executive Director of ZAO Eim (Soyuz-taxi, does not have its own fleet) Nikolai Chernobrovkin said that he lost about 40 drivers out of 100: they did not want to get permits. In his opinion, legal taxis will inevitably raise prices and the gray market will flourish.

Safin reminded everyone who hopes to work illegally about the fines. For transporting passengers without permission, a private person will pay 5,000 rubles, a legal entity - 30,000 rubles.

The bombers ran out of time