Artificial intelligence should be more actively introduced into the public transport sector, stated Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the head of state, modern algorithms can significantly increase transport efficiency. The President spoke at an online meeting of the State Council Presidium on public transport development.
Among the regions and cities showing the highest level of transport system development, the President named Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, and Chelyabinsk. Omsk Oblast is the leader in public transport digitalization.
Competent, forward-looking management approaches play a huge role here, and, above all, a close link between the transport system and urban planning policy, including taking into account the development of key settlements.
Russia Prepares Ground for AI in Public Transport
The topic of applying artificial intelligence in urban transport has long been in our focus. Already in mid-2024, we reported how NtechLab began developing an AI service for planning public transport routes based on video analytics of stop occupancy — test operation of the system was planned to be launched in Sochi. At the same time, it became known that "Mosgortrans" was implementing an AI system for automatic driver assignment to bus and electric bus routes, which was supposed to cover all depots by the summer of 2025.
In October 2025, researchers from ITMO University presented a route network optimization tool called ConnectPT, capable of analyzing the transport system of any city in a few hours and suggesting specific improvements based on open data. In parallel, the industry community noted that Russian transport and logistics are already among the leaders in AI application among economic sectors, and artificial intelligence itself is considered one of the main tools for combating personnel shortages in the industry.