There is no objective answer to the question: “Why are exactly cars manufactured before 2014?”  Dushanbe public transport authorities say the decision to ban local taxi service companies from using cars manufactured before the year of 2014 has been made for the purpose of “eliminating traffic jams in the city.”  

Recall, the Ministry of Transport has issued an order banning Dushanbe taxi service companies from using cars manufactured before the year of 2014 based on Dushanbe mayor’s request. 

Dushanbe authorities have justified the decision by saying that the measure is taken for the purpose of ensuring the safety of passengers and improving the level of service for passengers in the capital city.  

“The decision to reduce local tax fleet is made in order to give preference to public bus transport,” the head of the State Unitary Enterprise (SUE) “Dushanbenaqliyotkhadamotrason” (public transport service), Jumakhon Davlatov, told Asia-Plus in an interview. 

“According to standards, in Dushanbe, one public transport is required per 1000 people.  Taxicabs mainly drive short distances – from 3 to 5 kilometers.  They should not run along bus and trolleybus routes,” Davlatov noted.  

According to him, a large number of taxicabs creates traffic jams in the city.

According to the statistical data from Dushanbenaqliyotkhadamotrason, 2,300 taxicabs now serve residents and guests of Dushanbe and 1,271 of them were manufactured before the year of 2014.