The basis competitive advantage a new player in this business can be put active work with travel agencies with proven business reputation, high quality transport (use of comfortable premium-class buses/minibuses) and service. First of all, this concerns the qualifications of drivers, their experience and lack of bad habits.

Choice of transport and direction for passenger transportation

Used, but in good condition and low mileage, 20-seater premium minibus (sliding doors, air conditioning, spacious glass area, reliable and wear-resistant suspension, other technical components, comfortable folding seats, TV, modern multimedia system with microphone and speakers, GLONASS system and speed limiter) will cost $25,000 (the vehicle itself and $4,000 optional equipment). To start a business in a million-plus city, you will need at least 3 units. As a consequence, with an increase in the volume of orders, the number of machines can be increased.

The minibus is of greater interest, both for the initiator of the business idea, and for tour operators and clients. Firstly, it fills up faster, and secondly, it is a more maneuverable vehicle, small dimensions are indispensable on difficult road sections - serpentines, on narrow mountain climbs and descents.

The main potentially attractive areas of domestic tourism are the Black Sea coast (Krasnodar Territory and Crimea), Stavropol, Adygea, the Golden Ring of Russia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya, Karachay-Cherkessia, Tatarstan, Siberia and the Trans-Siberian. Of particular interest are the transportation of so-called "inbound" tourists, especially an active flow is observed from China.

A separate office space is not required. Minibuses between flights should be left in a guarded parking lot or in rented garages.

Staff

In addition to drivers, the main requirements for which are responsibility, the absence of bad habits, regular fines for traffic violations, many years of driving experience, a sales specialist will be required. His duties should include direct contact with the tourist operators of the region. Salary - from $ 400 + percentage of the transaction, payment to drivers - piecework. Accounting should be outsourced - 40 c.u. per month.

Advertising

Not superfluous as a promotion of services passenger traffic tourism orientation will be the creation of groups in social networks with the layout of photographs of transport, its specifications, prices, photo reports on the trips done. This will help attract both travel agents and other target audiences, such as event agencies and holiday organizers who need transport to travel to off-site events.

Expenses and incomes of business on tourist passenger transportation

The cost of passenger transportation services consists of the following items: fuel, wage drivers, depreciation, business licensing costs. Taking into account current prices, on average it is 0.5 c.u. per 1 km of the way.

Costs of starting a passenger transportation business: purchase of transport (3 minibuses x $25,000 = $75,000); additional equipment - $ 12,000; registration, obtaining permits and licenses - $ 5,000. In total - $ 92,000.

Current expenses:

• monthly maintenance - $ 500;
• medical examination of drivers - $ 100;
• other business expenses — $250;
• staff salaries;
• purchase of fuel.

The main risk in this business and a fact that significantly affects the reputation is the breakdown of transport, since minibuses are purchased second-hand, but are actively used, regular monitoring of their condition and timely service are required.

It should be noted that this business idea is characterized by seasonality. The peak is in the summer - the period of holidays and trips to the sea, holidays, decline - October, February.

The need for a license to carry passengers

You can open a bus tour business in the form of an LLC or an individual entrepreneur. But, regardless of the form of opening a company for tourist passenger transportation, it needs a license to carry out commercial activities.

It is worth noting that a license is needed in any case if more than 8 people are supposed to be transported. And in the case when less than 8 people are transported, a license is not always required. Let's analyze these cases.

The license for passenger transportation by road is regulated by Law No. 99-FZ of 04.05.11. Thus, Article 12, paragraph 24 indicates the need for licensing.

• 24) activities for the transportation of passengers by road, equipped for transportation of more than eight people (except for the case if the specified activity is carried out on orders or to meet one's own needs). legal entity or individual entrepreneur);

Article 13 of the current law lists the list required documents and the procedure for their submission for obtaining a license for transportation.

It is also worth paying attention to the following legislative orders and provisions:

• Position Russian government No. 280 of 04/02/12 "On approval of the Regulations governing the licensing of road transport of passengers by means of transportation that provides for the availability of seats for people no more than 8 pieces" .
• Order of the Russian Ministry of Transport No. 144 dated April 29, 2013, “On approval of the regulation that regulates administrative order granting licenses by state institutions for road transportation of passengers by transport, where more than 8 places for people are equipped.

Let us analyze the case of transportation of 8 passengers (8 seats). As stated above, sometimes a license is not required. This happens if the transportation is carried out on a contractual basis (by order), or for personal needs. That is, if a one-time transportation of passengers is carried out on a preliminary order, or you are carrying friends, acquaintances, colleagues and relatives in the amount of 8 people, a license is not needed. To carry out periodic regular transportation on permanent routes, a license is needed in any case, regardless of the number of seats.

Registration of a license will cost 150-200 thousand rubles. Fine for carrying out activities for the transportation of passengers without a license - 50 thousand for individuals, 400 thousand rubles for legal entities. Repeated violation will cost, in addition to a monetary fine, confiscation vehicle.

Currently, many experts believe that is not a highly profitable business. The low level of roadside service is a serious problem in organizing this type of business. The buses themselves do not have a fairly high service. So, today, almost every bus has non-working or dirty toilets, broken air conditioners, and most buses are not equipped with anything at all. Unequipped buses are a huge threat to passengers.

As for the American market, there is a completely different situation in the field of bus transportation. According to the data, today there are about 4,000 companies in the US that are engaged in intercity or international bus transportation. The services of these companies are used by a huge number of people.

If you are attentive and focused, then you can safely open your business on bus transportation . The organization of bus transportation is one of the fastest and most convenient ways with which you can set up any important business process. So you can create your own business plan for the removal of production outside the city.

Both regular and non-scheduled bus passenger transport equally require a huge amount of effort. At the same time, the business in bus transportation is not always active. So, during the downtime of your transport, you will receive a lot of losses.

The economy must be economical!

Any enterprise is based on two components - savings and profits. You should always be in control of your business and know when you need to save on something.

First of all, try to keep costs down at the expense of other services. It is necessary to review the budget and allocate less funds for their maintenance. The organization of bus transportation is an excellent option to earn extra money even for a simple fleet.

Having organized your business in the bus transportation segment, you will be able to travel to another city, transport employees from the metro station to the place of work, and go to objects in other cities.

Thus, the bus transportation business allows you to take advantage of the opportunities of each enterprise in order to multiply your own.

Rational use of funds is the key to the prosperity of your business at any time.

What buses to transport?

Of course, starting a business in bus transportation is a very profitable business. But, not everyone has enough funds for the initial capital. So, if you have firmly decided to open your own business, then you should think about buying a bus for business. Here are the possible options:

Class buses - "Bogdan" are ideal for bus business in a big city, intercity or suburb.

Class buses - "Ruta" are best purchased if your business will develop in large, small cities, regional centers and will be expensive, respectively, in a normal state.

After all, the essence of your business is, first of all, in the maintenance of the bus and, of course, in obtaining a certain income!

The most important attention in creating this type of business is given to the business plan. After all, your income depends on it.

You also need to pay great attention to the choice of service stations. Here it is best to rely on a trusted source. It is necessary to find a high-quality, but at the same time not very expensive service station.

A carrier that does business in road transport, must publish, no later than two weeks before the opening of the line, the conditions of carriage, the tariff and the timetable for the movement of buses in all territories where a stop will be made for boarding and disembarking passengers. Termination or restriction on the initiative of the carrier of transportation on a regular bus line is allowed only subject to notification of such a decision by the competent authorities of the countries through which the line passes. The bus driver who carries out international transportation on the bus line is required to have certified original permits of the countries through which the route passes.

Permits for non-scheduled passenger transport are not required only if a group of the same composition is transported on the same bus throughout the entire trip.

International shipping.

If the bus travels on international routes, then it must be equipped with soft folding seats, as well as have a luggage compartment. That is, if you plan to open bus transportation business and focus on international routes, you will need a lot more investment. Since buses must comply with specific standards.

Those buses that carry out international transportation must have inscriptions of company affiliation and side indicators with the name of the initial, main intermediate and final points of the route. The inscriptions on the route signs must be made on a white background in red letters, in two languages ​​of the states of the starting and final points.

Moreover, all documents that are mandatory for implementation international transport passengers must be constantly with the bus crew and presented upon request officials exercising control.

Business Plan Summary for Starting a Tourist Bus from Scratch

This project is a plan to create a private enterprise to organize tourist bus for 24 months. First of all, we will list the key points of the process of creating a business plan for starting a tourist bus business plan from scratch.

First of all, the Idea of ​​the project arises, and the Goals of the project, such as:

1. Building an enterprise with high .
2. in a legal way, indicating the legal address, passport data of the head and founder of the project, data on employees.
3. Satisfying consumer demand for filling the niche of entertainment, providing health services, organizing safe travel, as well as organizing leisure activities for citizens.
4. Providing the opportunity to travel and organize leisure activities.
5. Search and conclusion of contracts with investors.
6. Project cost: 2,070,000 rubles.
7. Financing of the project: It is carried out by obtaining a commercial loan in the amount of 2,070,000 rubles.
8. To implement the project, the company needs to take a loan in the amount of rubles for 24 settlement months with a discount rate of 14%.
9. Payback period: 2 years.
10. The investor's income will be 278,141.76 rubles.
11. Interest payments on the loan begin from the first month of the implementation of this project.
12. The repayment of borrowed funds starts from the first month of the project implementation. This circumstance is introduced in this business plan to simplify the understanding of the structure of calculating the flow of discounting and regulation cash flow. The repayment of borrowed funds starts from the first month of the project implementation. This circumstance is introduced in this business plan to simplify the understanding of the structure for calculating the discounting flow and regulating the cash flow.
13. The mortgaged interest rate borrowed funds fourteen %. It should be borne in mind that banks are currently reviewing the interest rate for investment projects in the direction of decline.
14. The total amount of accrued interest will be 278,141.76 rubles.
15. The payback period from the beginning of the project is 2 months.
16. The payback period, taking into account discounting, is 2 years.
17. General economical effect from project implementation for conditional life cycle is 65,710,196.23 rubles.

Project stages

Project stages	Execution conditions	Deadlines
Project start		12 – 24 months
	1 month project	1 -30 banking days
Getting a loan	Availability of the appropriate package of documents	30 calendar days
Entering into the state register, registration with administrative and tax authorities	Conclusion of the investment agreements	1-30 calendar days
Location selection and documentation	Preliminary work	30 calendar days
Purchase of equipment	Conclusion of an investment agreement	1-30 calendar days
Hiring	Production activity	1-30 calendar days
Training	End of the stage of organization of the production process	1-30 calendar days
Carrying out a marketing campaign	360 calendar days	1-360 calendar days
End of the project		12 – 24 months

Documentation required to study before starting activities

1. Federal Law "On Migration Registration of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in the Russian Federation" dated July 18, 2006 N 109-FZ (last edition)
2. Federal Law No. 132-FZ of 24.11.1996 "On the Fundamentals of Tourism Activities in the Russian Federation" (last edition)
3. Article 4.1. Conditions for the implementation of tour operator activities

Action algorithms prescribed in the tourist bus business plan

In the business plan of the tourist bus, the following algorithms of actions for starting a business are prescribed:

1. Ways and methods of analysis target audience, drawing up a portrait of an ideal client, his level of solvency.
2. Registration of business in state supervisory and tax authorities.
3. Hiring qualified employees who are able to fulfill the wishes of the client and be ready to work. Another item of expenditure is the hiring of employees. Specialists will take vacant positions on a competitive basis, being employees of a general, service and temporary nature with decent competitive pay. Candidates for positions will be considered within 30 calendar days.
4. Services provided by the enterprise.
5. Choice of business format.
6. Acquisition / rent / leasing of a comfortable sightseeing bus.
7. Business registration with the relevant authorities.
8. Tour itinerary development.

Project costs

In European countries, business on tourist buses is regulated by certain legislative acts that are absent in the Russian Federation. So, there is no threshold for the minimum comfortable equipment for transporting passengers. Therefore, most Russian businessmen prefer to use foreign-made buses. Tourist buses operating on the territory of the Russian Federation must be insured without fail. In addition, each seat for a passenger must receive additional insurance. The presence of an OSAGO policy is mandatory. The analogue of these documents in European countries is the so-called. greencard

Own fleet of vehicles will require not only significant initial costs, but will also constantly require maintenance and repair. The variable cost item will depend on the number of departures and the distance traveled by the buses. To transport 8 or more passengers, a license is required, otherwise the businessman faces large fines.

Fixed expenses include the following items of the financial business plan

• Monetary remuneration for drivers (permanent or hired on the basis of an outsourcing agreement, also the salary may depend on the season).
• Expenses for the maintenance of the driver (according to the contract).
• Remuneration for service personnel who travel with the driver and provide support in the operation of the bus.
• Payment for the maintenance of the fleet both during the downtime and during active operation.

Project costs (in rubles)

Name of the item of expenditure	Price
	Quantity, pcs)	per month	in year	One time purchase	Total expenses per year
Buying a bus	1			1 447 000	1 447 000
Fixed costs for fuel and maintenance	1	100 000	1 200 000		1 200 000
Fixed advertising costs	12	45 000	540 000	100 000	540 000
Salary	12	220 500	2 646 000		2 646 000
— incl. taxes	12	70 500	846 000		846 000
Unexpected expenses				154 700	154 700
Total:		365 500	4 386 000	1 701 700	5 987 700

Variable expenses include

• The price of fuels and lubricants.
• Purchase of spare parts and repair of buses.

Main taxes paid

Format of work and services provided by the enterprise

Route development - this can be a trip both within the same tourist city / region, as well as a full-fledged multi-day tour with a visit, for example, or.

The amount of initial investment and future profits will directly depend on the format of work. In order to save on wages and tax deductions for employees, under an outsourcing agreement, you can hire such specialists as an accountant, designer, tour guide, guide escort.

What can be included in the cost of a sightseeing bus tour (Standard package, one-day)

1. Bus transportation service.
2. The work of a tour guide.
3. Accompanying guide (his duties include organizing a group, resolving issues with accommodation, meals, accommodation, resolving all organizational issues related to travel, insurance, regulations).
4. If the tour is held for several days, an overnight stay is additionally paid.

Problems and Risks Associated with Bus Tour Business

1. The network has many offers from private transport companies and agencies. A beautiful site does not always give an accurate idea of ​​​​how the technique will show itself in the process. On the website, the description of the bus and the actual state of affairs may not match - for example, the presence / absence of air conditioning. It is better if a representative of your company can check all the items for compliance, and only then you need to release the rented bus on your sightseeing flight
2. Drivers hired under a vehicle rental agreement can ignore the prohibition to talk on the phone while driving. Also, the driver can smoke, which is not liked by all passengers, especially with children.
3. Force majeure circumstances - the rented bus was not provided on time, within the terms specified in the contract.
4. Pre-booked hotel rooms may be available to overpriced customers during high season.
5. Hire an experienced tour guide who can bring the story to life interesting facts and it is quite difficult to communicate with tourists at ease, sometimes there is a “turnover” of personnel.
6. It is necessary to agree with museums in advance - you cannot allow the association of several groups - this greatly affects the quality of the service.
7. Marginality in this type of business can reach 20%, but a standard group may not reach 15 or more people. In this case, you should not cancel the trip - this will significantly reduce customer loyalty, but come up with a way to earn the missing funds at the expense of another group or offer an additional service for an additional payment. Cancellation of the itinerary should be a last resort - you can also try to offer another development of the trip or return some of the funds to customers.

Business Relevance

A business based on the provision of services for organizing a bus tour on comfortable buses is profitable and exciting. Clients of all ages like to visit, learn new things, take colorful photos and videos, and share their impressions with friends. A bus tour that brings in a steady income and an influx of new customers should be planned in such a way that tourists can cover in a short time nai large quantity sights and memorials.

According to statistics, over the past year, Russians made 28,604,030 trips to countries near and far abroad, which is 31.6% more than in the same period of the previous year.

Rice. 1. TOP-20 outbound destinations by the number of trips of Russian citizens in 2017 (excluding the CIS countries, Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia)

Fig.2. TOP-20 outbound destinations in 2017 ("classic tourism" for the purpose of recreation and cultural and educational purposes)

Pay attention to new legislation. So, in 2013, a bill was adopted and signed, obliging tour operators to renew bus fleets. Operating businessmen had several years to renew their fleets. The new rules apply to the transportation of children and require the renewal of the fleet once every 10 years. The bill will come into force on January 1, 2018 and will prohibit the transportation of children on buses that are over 10 years old.

Many experts are inclined to believe that this measure is not a safety measure, but will only force businessmen to spend more money or close excursions, which will negatively affect the volume of offers and reduce the opportunity to use school holidays and holidays.

According to statistics, only in St. Petersburg, children's groups are served by about 1,000 buses. About a third of them are over 10 years old and fall under the ban. By 2020, the right to carry passengers school age only 50% of the existing bus fleet will remain. In other regions, up to 90% of transport will be deprived of the right to transport children. The most affordable new Chinese-made bus will cost a businessman 9,000,000 rubles, from European or domestic manufacturers- 18,000,000 rubles. Thus, the payback period of the travel business in transportation will be equal to 15 years, in addition, to receive acceptable interest from the bank for this type of entrepreneurial activity today is extremely difficult. The loss of turnover is already forcing businessmen to raise prices for their services, so, compared to last year, the cost of rent has increased by 20%, to 1,800 rubles per hour.

Thus, the number of excursions can be significantly reduced, and the amount of revenue in the low season can drop significantly. A significant problem for business is also the tightening of the rules for coordinating a trip. According to experts, buses older than 10 years are quite capable of serving a large passenger flow, subject to timely technical inspection, replacement of parts, fuel and lubricants and proper maintenance.

At the same time, such bills significantly support the domestic auto industry and the growth of healthy competition - the market will be forced to leave small travel companies, whose activities were mainly aimed at working with children's groups, the rest of the travel agencies will be able to compensate for the costs by transporting adult groups.

In the high winter season, an increase in the number of customers up to 10% is expected. Statistics say that the number of orders for children's organized group tours in the northern capital has fallen by half. The school administration is afraid to take on increased responsibility, and transport companies are unwilling to pay large fines.

We remind you that the rules for the transportation of children were also tightened by the requirements of the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia No. 941 on the procedure for submitting a notification about the organized transportation of a group of children by buses dated December 30, 2016, which entered into force on April 1. So, according to the order, the organizer of the transportation of children is obliged to notify the traffic police about the excursion, indicating the number of children transported, the route program, as well as full information about the bus itself, the driver, the transport company that owns the bus, as well as the organizer himself.

Previously, notifications about the implementation of transportation were sent by travel agencies to the traffic police department, but now it must be sent to the district divisions at the place where the transportation began. However, submission of documentation e-mail not available in all regions. Traffic police departments can work according to a very inconvenient schedule. After consideration of the notification of transportation, permission for it may not be issued. There is also a system of penalties for filing a notification not according to the model or late filing.

The bill also does not provide for force majeure circumstances: for example, it is impossible to replace a sick driver, since information about him is submitted 2 days before the trip. According to the current legislation, for violation of the rules for transporting children during the day, a fine for the driver in the amount of 3,000 rubles is provided. rubles, for officials - 25,000 rubles, for legal entities - 100,000 rubles. Industry representatives say that the cost of services will increase several times. Already today, parents of schoolchildren pay 20,000 rubles. for a 5 day tour.

Average salary for a tour bus driver:

Equipment

The main equipment in this type of business will be a fleet of vehicles - own buses or buses rented from a transport company.

tourist bus seat

1. Adjustable headrest.
2. Metal frame base.
3. Plastic base.
4. Ergonomic seating surfaces with soft fabric upholstery.
5. Three and two point seat belt.
6. Folding table.
7. Folding armrest.
8. Mesh for personal belongings of passengers.
9. Optional equipment.
10. Seat cushion tilt adjuster.
11. Seat back adjuster.

Useful documentation to study

The target audience

You can increase profits by focusing on clients with an average income level - the majority of such citizens in our country, and many of them decide to afford to buy a bus trip with their families.

In addition, parents of schoolchildren are happy to send children on organized bus tours for the purpose of organizing leisure activities during the holidays. This type of recreation is considered quite inexpensive and informative. Retirees who have recently retired on a well-deserved rest, and who maintain an active lifestyle and position in life, also go on long bus tours around the country or even abroad with great pleasure.

The demand for bus tours in combination with other services and an increased level of service remains consistently high, which means that a novice businessman can make good money on this type of entrepreneurial activity.

Usually the organization bus tours is included in the list of services of large tour operators, which allows you to significantly expand your customer base and make big profits.

In order for the demand for your service to remain high, you need to pay attention to the level of service and professionalism of the staff. Today's customer has become much more demanding - strong competitors offer good service and row additional services, various loyalty programs and other triggers for potential customers, and if the offer of a competing organization seems more attractive to the client, he will go to him. People are now carefully counting the money in their pockets, and expect to receive the most profitable offers for minimum price, so at the start it is necessary to enlist the support of investors and business partners on mutually beneficial terms.

Key points that a client pays attention to when booking a tour

1. Organization of a comfortable move.
2. Services of a guide / tour guide / animators for tours with children.
3. Conditions of accommodation and meals (for multi-day tours).
4. Obtaining additional services within the tour (gastro-tour or shopping).

This type of business is very capital-intensive and risky. In order to attract profitable business partners or investors, a quality tourist bus business plan should be developed. The state often provides support to young entrepreneurs, but grants are more often received production areas economic activity or scientific/technical developments. Therefore, the purchase of a fleet, its registration with the appropriate governing bodies, ensuring its repair and operation, as well as ensuring the safety of customers, will completely fall on the shoulders of the enterprise.

According to experts, most often start-ups choose not to purchase their own bus fleet, but to conclude a lease agreement with transport company, which provides cars for excursions for a certain period. In order to provide a decent service for Russian citizens and guests of the country, choose a proven transport.

If the amount of initial investment allows, to form a fleet, you can purchase the so-called. stock buses from Europe - local legislation obliges to update fleets once every five years. So for relatively little money you can get high-quality transport.

An excursion group of about 15 people will bring the owner of excursion buses up to 20,000 rubles. In the low season, you can rent buses to holiday agencies, as transport for weddings, corporate parties and other purposes. You can also hire specialists who can organize outbound tours for sports or pop stars, or organize outbound tours from abroad.

Businessmen whose business is already generating a stable income can execute transactions for the sale of new vehicles made in Europe or the USA. A new bus of this format will cost about 250,000 euros on a leasing basis, provided that the transport is fully occupied.

Seasonal bus tour business

The high season for this species is the period from spring to early autumn. In winter, the fleet can bring just enough money to cover current expenses. This means that the bulk of income and the ability to pay interest on loans will be in the summer months. Full repayment of debts comes in five years from the date of business registration.

The best option will be preparing an excursion package a few months before the start of the business - so you can start active work immediately after receiving all the necessary permits, and the fleet will not be idle. During the low season it is also possible to organize schools and universities. Great profitability comes at a time when there are more people who want to visit the tour than was originally planned by the business plan.

How to rent a tour bus?

Renting a bus has a number of advantages

1. No need to take out a loan at high interest.
2. There are no additional import duties for the tour bus.
3. Documentation is much faster and easier.

However, it should be noted that renting a comfortable bus from leading European manufacturers will cost 2,000 rubles per hour.

For European countries, such a price is considered prohibitively low, given that the foreign side complies with all the requirements and regulations regarding ensuring the safety of passengers, due technical condition vehicle and work performed by a qualified driver with a specific driving category.

At the same time, both passengers and guides, as well as other employees of travel companies, feel more protected from the occurrence of force majeure situations and the financial expenses that they may entail. Our citizens cannot always afford an expensive all-inclusive tour. Drivers of such buses receive decent remuneration for their work, and are confident that they have time to rest and recuperate, therefore, the risk of getting into an emergency situation due to driver fatigue is significantly reduced. And special sensors are installed on vehicles - limiters of the time of movement per day, which will not allow the engine to start at an inopportune time. installed.

At the same time, Russia is much more in need of high-quality sightseeing transport, while Europeans are happy to travel by private car or book caravanning tours. Most often, tours on comfortable buses are booked by people of advanced age and parents of schoolchildren.

Business promotion

Today, SEO optimization and contextual advertising are considered the most effective advertising tools, as well as social networks. In order for the name of the company to remain visible and remembered by potential customers, you should pay attention to billboards and citylights. According to experts, advertising in printed publications does not give such a strong return as before, however, handout printing works well, which has a positive effect on the image.

* Calculations use average data for Russia

From 650 000 ₽

Starting investments

100 000 - 250 000 ₽

60 000 - 150 000 ₽

Net profit

11 months

Payback period

Minibus taxis are one of the most profitable and liquid types of auto business. However, launching it comes with many challenges that aspiring entrepreneurs need to keep in mind.

In most Russian cities, normal bus service is not developed. In frost, people are forced to stand idle at stops for half an hour, an hour, or even longer. You have to choose one of two evils: either you have to wait a long time for a single, but cheap bus, or you quickly get to your destination by an expensive taxi. Minibuses offer a third option: fast and inexpensive. In recent years fixed-route taxis in many cities of Russia they have become almost the main mode of transport, in some places displacing large public transport. They run more frequently than buses, they are more manoeuvrable, they stop at stops on demand, and the conditions in the cabin are often more comfortable.

Professional kit for creating business ideas

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Disadvantages of urban systems public transport and the growing demand for comfortable transportation by the population make the minibus business very promising for small businesses. You can open your own small business even if you don’t have your own fleet and car maintenance equipment. When operating one minibus, an entrepreneur can count on a profit 3-5 times higher than the level of average wages. It is not for nothing that passenger transportation is called one of the most profitable and liquid types of auto business, which beckons with its passive and easy income.

But, as you know, free cheese is only in a mousetrap. In the minibus business, not everything is as smooth and sweet as it seems to many from the outside. Therefore, before making plans about how many thousand rubles a day a minibus will bring you, we advise you to carefully familiarize yourself with the market in your region, analyze competitive environment and talk to people working in the field. It should be borne in mind that in some cities of the country minibuses are prohibited or serious restrictions are imposed on their activities.

After such an analysis of the market is carried out, a clearer picture will form in the head regarding legal status and enterprise structure. Shuttle business is possible in many variations. You can acquire your own fleet of vehicles or work without it, provide only passenger transportation services or carry out other services (dispatching, maintenance, etc.). Most often, such a business is started either with budget buses, or by attracting drivers with their own cars.

What types of fixed-route taxis are there in Russia

You may have heard that there are different kinds fixed-route taxis. Which, for example, may not have a strict binding to the route, and passengers in them may indicate new directions to the driver. So, consider that there are no such types of “minibuses without a route” or “minibuses-taxi” in Russia. At least, the legal concept of "route taxi" does not exist. Since 2013, minibuses have been equated by law with public transport, that is, buses, trams and trolleybuses. This means that the transportation of passengers and luggage in minibuses is carried out on a regular basis and on a regular route. Such transportation is carried out on the basis of public contract and are defined by law as “transportation by public transport”. In fact, this means that in Russia today there are two types of minibuses, which:

carry out transportation with embarkation and disembarkation of passengers at stopping points along the route of regular transportation;

carry out transportation with embarkation and disembarkation of passengers in any place not prohibited by traffic rules along the route of regular transportation.

In addition, according to the statute road transport and urban ground electric transport, there are 4 types of passenger transport routes:

Transportation in urban traffic. They are carried out within the boundaries of settlements.

Transportation in suburban traffic. Carried out between settlements at a distance of up to 50 km inclusive between the borders of these settlements.

Transportation in intercity traffic. Carried out between settlements at a distance of more than 50 km between the borders of these settlements.

Transportation to international traffic. They are carried out outside the territory of the Russian Federation or into the territory of the Russian Federation with the crossing of its border, including in transit through the territory of the country.

If we talk about the transportation of passengers and luggage in general, then three types of transportation are legally fixed in Russia: these are regular transportation, transportation on orders and transportation by passenger taxis. And, as you already understood, the activity of minibuses falls under the first category. So a more correct name for this type of transport would not be “route taxi”, but “minibus” or “small bus”. In addition, a minibus usually means not municipal transport, but private transport, which operates only at the expense of proceeds from ticket sales.

What you need to open your minibus

In Russia, the operation of minibuses, like all other public transport, is regulated federal law No. 220-FZ “On the organization of regular transportation of passengers and luggage by road ...” dated July 13, 2015 and the Charter of Road Transport and Urban Ground Transport.

So, today's legislation requires all carriers to use a special parking lot for parking, and in order to transport passengers in the amount of more than 8 people, it is necessary to have a license, a route map or a certificate for the right to transport passengers issued by authorized body municipal, provincial or provincial authorities.

One of the main government documents for the implementation of passenger road transport, a license is considered. The presence of this document indicates that the carrier can ensure the complete safety of passengers, that its services comply with established norms and standards, and that drivers have the necessary experience. You can get a license if you have your own transport or rented.

To obtain a license for passenger transportation, it is necessary to collect an impressive package of documents and submit them to territorial authority Rostransnadzor. It should be borne in mind that separate licenses are issued for each of the four types of transportation (urban, intercity, suburban and international).

The list of documents required to obtain a license for the carriage of passengers includes:

certificate of registration of a legal entity;

an application for obtaining a license, filled out in a specific form, where the type of transportation must be indicated;

documents confirming the tax registration of a person;

copies of documents regulated by the “Regulations on Licensing”;

copies constituent documents enterprises certified by a notary public.

And that's just, let's say, the main documents. You will also need documents from drivers that confirm their work experience ( employment history) and the ability to drive vehicles (medical certificate for permission to drive vehicles), information about the premises in which the Maintenance and repair of vehicles, namely:

copies of documents confirming the ownership of a specially equipped premises (extract from the register or contract);

declaration of own parking;

documents for technical equipment in the room;

certificates or other documents confirming the compliance of the premises with generally accepted standards.

As additional documents, you will need an agreement for the implementation of a medical pre-trip examination of drivers, documents on the availability of the necessary transport, a vehicle registration certificate, a diagnostic card or a coupon for a technical inspection and the conclusion of a transport commission specialist.

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The license is issued within 30-45 days after the application is submitted. Before submitting documents, you must pay a state duty in the amount of 7,500 rubles. If prior to 2011 licenses were issued for 5 years, now they are issued indefinitely. Before collecting documents, be sure to check the list on the official portal Federal Service Transport Supervision Authority, as requirements may change. You can get a license to transport passengers as individual entrepreneurs as well as organizations. For activities without a license, an individual entrepreneur faces a fine of 100 thousand rubles, organizations - 400 thousand rubles. Moreover, in case of repeated violation, the violator will face not only a fine, but also the confiscation of the vehicle.

One of the stumbling blocks in the business of passenger transportation is the choice and coordination of the route. The fact is that no one will simply allow a novice entrepreneur to carry passengers where they want. AT major cities it is almost impossible to wedge into existing routes, the market there has long been divided. Free niches remained only in small settlements, and they are quite rare. The situation there is different. You can enter the market, for example, if the local bus fleet is very outdated and needs to be replaced, and the entrepreneur is ready to put new buses on the route. To find out if it is possible to get a route in a particular city, you need to contact the local department of transport or transport companies serving routes, and conclude an agreement with them to access these routes.

It is rather problematic to open new routes. They are developed by the Ministry of Transport of the region together with the authorities local government, and a whole pile of papers is collected for their approval, including calculations of economic feasibility, organizational section, technological calculation, and so on. The choice of the carrier is carried out through tenders held by local administrations. It is almost impossible to win a tender without connections, especially when it comes to profitable routes.

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To find out all the features of obtaining a route permit and entry this business in general, it is best for an entrepreneur to familiarize himself with its components from the inside in advance: namely, to communicate with the owners and drivers of buses and other knowledgeable people. It is quite possible that there may not be legal ways to obtain a route. And then they may demand an impressive amount of up to several hundred thousand rubles from a beginner. Moreover, the hope that the “one-time fee” will solve all cases may also be destroyed. It is no secret that those organizations that have managed to enter this business have to regularly maintain the goodwill of the inspection bodies.

Both carriers and passengers agree that the traditional "Gazelle" as a fixed-route taxi has already become obsolete. These cars do not enjoy popular love because of their uncomfortable size and too low ceilings. The capacity of an ordinary route Gazelle is 8 passenger seats, which is not very pleasing for carriers interested in the greatest financial return of their workhorses. On the other hand, Gazelle remains the most budget option for starting a business. A used car until 2010 can be purchased within 40-170 thousand rubles, a car from 2011-2013. will cost 210-350 thousand rubles, and newer Gazelles can be purchased for 400-890 thousand rubles. The new "Gazelle" will cost around 1 million rubles.

More capacious, elongated Gazelles for 12 seats will already cost around 1-1.3 million rubles. But with this kind of money, the entrepreneur has a much greater choice. For example, you can buy a good used minibus of one of the foreign brands, or add a couple of hundred thousand and buy a new Gazelle Next with a capacity of 18 people. 18 passenger seats (in various modifications up to 20-22 seats) is the most common capacity of minibuses today. In this class, you can find about a dozen options, the most popular of which are minibuses Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Classic, Ford Transit, Volkswagen Crafter, Iveco Daily, Citroen Jumper, Peugeot Boxer, GAZ Next and Hyundai County. Moreover, the assembly of the latter in Russia has not been carried out since 2014, as well as deliveries from South Korea have been stopped, so you can only purchase a used version.

Prices for the most popular taxi minibuses for 18-22 seats*

CAR MODEL			COST, THOUS. RUB.
			until 2010	2011-2013	2014-2017	New (2018)
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Classic
Volkswagen Crafter

*according to the Avto.ru website as of 01/25/2018

There is no consensus on which model is definitely better and more reliable. Of course, buying a used car as a fixed-route taxi is always a risk, so if you have limited financial resources, you should use leasing services. For legal entities and individual entrepreneurs, leasing is a great opportunity not only to lower the threshold for entering a business, but also to save money in the process of tax payments, since payments under leasing contracts can be accounted for as current costs attributable to prime cost.

What are the requirements for bus drivers?

The carrier's staff can be completed only by qualified drivers with category “D” licenses. At the same time, the driving experience in this category should not be less than 3 years. It is also necessary to have a medical certificate of admission to the management of transport. The number of suitable candidates is limited, therefore, private traders often sin and hire unprofessional drivers or employees fired for misconduct from municipal transport companies.

The minibus driver is obliged to follow the instructions of the dispatching personnel, follow the route schedule, know the places of stops, dangerous sections of the road, detour schemes for repair sites, navigate the location of medical institutions, gas stations and service points.

As for salaries for minibus drivers, salary system in practice, entrepreneurs are not used. In fact, drivers work according to the established norm, which may vary on weekdays and weekends, and the salary, if any, is minimal. In this case, the driver's revenue includes an amount in excess of the prescribed rate. The disadvantage of such a scheme is that, in pursuit of revenue, following the route turns into a battle for passengers with other minibuses, with cuts, mutual insults, standing idle at a stop and driving a race with speeding to the next stop. As a result, a vicious system is formed in many respects: drivers think about passengers in the last turn, massively overwork, spending 14-16 hours in the cabin, and in case of non-payment of the “plan”, they may be deprived of the bonus or require additional payment from personal funds. This is not to mention traffic violations, accidents and so on.

Often the scheme for building a business on minibuses is such that the owner of the minibus is the driver himself, who is obliged to be responsible for washing and refueling, perform minor maintenance, including replacing pads, oil, bulbs and filters, as well as carry out major repairs and provide parking in a personal garage. He, of course, spends the minimum on everything, since he already gives half of the proceeds to the business owner. As a result, passengers receive "broken" minibuses. Unfortunately, most often labor Relations between drivers and owners of carrier companies leave much to be desired and are more like a “tribute collection”. The turnover in this business is huge, and at the root of most of the problems, of course, is human greed.

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Another option, which is chosen by more conscientious carriers, is to remove the bus driver from all other duties, except for driving on company-provided buses. In this case, the cost of gasoline, maintenance, washing and repairs remain with the company. With the solution of the issue of transparency of payments in public transport in our country is not in a hurry. The problem could be solved by the introduction of a cashless payment system with the installation of validators, but such a measure is effective only if it brings real benefits to passengers and applies to all types of urban transport. One way or another, the entrepreneur still needs to know the daily revenue plan, no matter what payment system he introduces. The best option would be to personally ride with the driver along the route as a conductor and calculate the income on different days of the week.

Returning to the requirements for drivers, do not forget about their human qualities. Drivers not only must not be reckless, they must be able to get along with people. It's no secret that working in a minibus is a rather nervous and exhausting business. Here, the ability to control oneself is extremely important, because almost every day you have to deal with inadequate passengers, violent, arguing, and so on.

What are the requirements for the service of minibuses

All vehicles must be serviced at a service station and checked by a mechanic before each trip to work for faults. Also, before the flight, drivers must undergo an examination by a doctor and obtain permission to perform their duties. If a medical worker not in the state, then you will need to conclude an agreement with one of the medical institutions for the provision of appropriate services.

Minibuses must have licensed vehicle cards. You can not do without equipping GLONASS satellite monitoring devices and tachographs. Cars must be technically sound, and the type of vehicle must correspond to the type of transportation.

The entrepreneur should also take care of where to leave the cars after hours and how the cars will be maintained: on their own or third party. In order to be in touch with their drivers, an office and the territory of the car park adjacent to it are equipped. Rent can be a significant expense, so finding a location on the outskirts of town is a good idea.

How much does it cost to open a bus business

There is no definite answer to the question of how much it costs to open a business on a fixed-route taxi. It all depends on the region in which it is planned to start, whether it is planned to purchase a fleet of vehicles or not, whether other services will be provided. Some investment guidelines can be obtained from the ads for sale ready business. A ready-made business with all the documentation, a minibus and drivers who agree to work for a new owner will cost from 650 to 1350 thousand rubles. The option of buying a ready-made business can be attractive in that the entrepreneur will be relieved of many initial bureaucratic obstacles and will be able to count on a certain flow of customers. In this case, the buyer will only have to find out exactly why the owner is selling his business. In the main period, the expense part of the business may include parking rental, payroll, fuel, insurance, maintenance and repair costs. Also, current costs may include a subscription fee for the route, payment for medical care, taxes.

How much do taxis earn

Finally, we come to the most interesting question. Namely, to the question of how much fixed-route taxis earn. On average, a route with one minibus in the fleet brings about 85-90 thousand rubles a month. Range net profit varies from 60 to 150 thousand rubles per month with turnover in the amount of 100 to 250 thousand rubles. Accordingly, three minibuses can bring profit from 180 to 450 thousand rubles.

The amount of income, in addition to current costs, is highly dependent on the specific route, the seasonal behavior of passengers and their weekly schedule. Of course, the most profitable is a business that earns on weekdays, that is, along the “work-home” route. No one makes a bet on weekends and transportation of summer residents. On weekends, revenue and net profit indicators can decrease by 2-3 times relative to weekdays.

You can increase profits by advertising inside or outside minibuses. In the cabin, printed materials are most often used: leaflets, banners, booklets, which are placed in places in full view of passengers, for example, on the backs of seats. A special film with a pattern is applied to the body of the bus. Registration is carried out by employees of advertising agencies.

What are the trends and pitfalls in the minibus business

Due to the fact that large amounts of money are circulating on minibuses in the business, one of its main features is closedness. If we are talking about large cities, then, most likely, all profitable routes have long been divided among major players. The minibus business is a very corrupt and highly competitive area. Even with the desire to strictly adhere to the letter of the law, an aspiring entrepreneur may find that the game is “ fair rules” is not listed on this market. In addition, newcomers often underestimate the current costs of transportation. Repair of minibuses, which are used in a tough operation, can be not only expensive, but also long-term. The lack of modern bus service stations can put transport out of service for weeks and even months. Moreover, the entrepreneur is most often not able to increase revenue due to fixed tariffs. Tariffs may not change for years, while services for repairs, maintenance and gasoline continue to grow in the meantime.

When opening a business on minibuses, one cannot ignore the main trends in this area. In recent years, there has been a growing understanding in Russia that a minibus is a type of transport that has a detrimental effect on the situation with public transport in general. One of the main problems of minibuses is their low capacity. If the minibus can accommodate 15-20 passengers, then the tram and bus can accommodate 120 people. For cities suffering from traffic jams, it is clearly more efficient to replace 6-8 minibuses with one bus or tram. Minibuses clog roads and stops, cause more accidents and generally exacerbate the situation on the roads.

Moreover, from the point of view of finances, minibuses are a real noose for municipal public transport. First, minibuses do not require expensive infrastructure. Secondly, owners of minibuses save literally on everything, from train repairs to paying taxes. They can leave the route late at night without consequences if they consider it unprofitable. Public transport, of course, does not have such opportunities. Initially, unequal conditions put minibusters in a winning situation. Gradually, they are crowding out city buses from the busiest routes, and trams and trolleybuses are left with only beneficiaries and unprofitable directions.

In large cities of the country, the authorities have long recognized this problem, but they still cannot completely get rid of the “bus noose”. The fact is that almost every municipality in the country has its own minibus lobby, which prevents the implementation of restrictive reforms. Minibuses are a business with unregulated cash flows, which is very convenient for laundering black cash. Therefore, minibuses in Russian cities have a solid “roof”, and an attempt to ban minibuses or flatly refuse their owners to raise tariffs can play a cruel joke on the authorities. Such a step turns out that the next morning the minibuses (and this is a large part of the city's public transport) simply ... do not go on the line. The city cannot replace minibuses with the forces of exhausted municipal transport. And it turns out a vicious circle, the main victims of which are ordinary residents of the city. Moscow and Kazan have already consciously abandoned minibuses, and other million-plus cities are voicing similar plans. The trend, by the way, is global: at the moment, minibuses have remained mainly in the countries of the CIS, Africa and the Middle East.