Penza, 24 May 2017. PenzaNews. The launch of the service Yandex.Taxi in Penza may lead to reduction of transportation costs in all services. Such opinion was expressed by the chairman of the union of professional drivers of Penza Andrei Gaykalov.

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"Most likely, if Yandex starts gaining popularity, other organizations will have to reduce their prices not to lose all their clients," the interlocutor said.

According to him, one of the dispatching services did so even before Yandex.Taxi started to work in Penza.

"Now, drivers will certainly cooperate and will start to use both legal and illegal methods. [...] I know that there are some people who are ready to break windows and to burn cars," Andrei Gaykalov added.

He also noted that a low fare does not mean a good service and security.

"The latest accident happened in the suburbs of Moscow. It was quite a scandal – the driver fell asleep, he died himself and claimed the lives of a mother and a daughter. He drove under a truck. How did it happen? In order to earn enough money at least to feed the family, the driver has to work extra hours. In fact – to live in a car. The driver was tired, in a hurry to finish one order and to take another one in pursuit of earnings. This is the result," the chairman of the union of professional drivers explained.

Andrei Gaykalov also stressed that not a single professional driver will agree to work for such rates for a long period of time.

"It is possible to study the history of the development of Yandex.Taxi, Uber and Gett in three cities where they exist. They reduced prices mindlessly to a minimum. Not in a single city where they destroyed their competitors, the companies increased prices to the level of profitability. [...] It is impossible that prices are so low. 50 and even 100 rubles is unthinkable. 100 rubles is acceptable only for a small neighbourhood," the interlocutor added.

According to him, in the near future the union of professional drivers intends to organize pickets and rallies, as well as to conduct a propaganda among the drivers that "to put it mildly it is unprofitable to work in Yandex.Taxi".