Bus No4 will return to service, provided Tver Transport University manages to recruit a driver.
Heads up, Tomsk! Trolleybus Route No.4 Might Make a Comeback
Tomsk's city administration is pondering the possibility of reinstating the rarely-seen Trolleybus Route No.4. The decision hinges on one major condition - the Tramway-Trolleybus Management (TTU) needs to beef up its team of drivers. That's what Mayor Dmitriy Mahiny told city councilors during a recent meeting, addressing queries about the city's operations.
Initially, the city had put Route No.4 on ice due to its low profitability and unstable passenger flow. This old-school route linked the streets of Govorova to Kaštakvia the Lenin and Kirov Prospects, then terminated at the Tomsk-1 Station.
“At this moment in time, Route No.4 still plays backup. However, we're grappling with staffing issues at our TTU. A hike in salaries has helped stabilize things... But we need to revisit the issue of staffing - specifically, training our staff to drive trolleybuses. Should we overcome our staffing woes, nothing's stopping us from sending Route No.4 back on the road,” said Mahiny.
Mahiny added, “Previously, we had to move drivers over to the Route No6А, hence why Route No.4 remains in reserve.”
Previously, TTU had embarked on a program aimed at gradually increasing salaries. From February 2025, all staff members saw an 8% wage boost, while trolleybus drivers experienced a 22% increase. Wage hikes for tram drivers are planned to go up by 15% as well.
Although the specifics of reintroducing the route aren't yet firm, it's worth reaching out to the local transportation department, monitoring city announcements, or connecting with residents or transport advocacy groups for more information. If you're keen on seeing that beloved trolleybus reappear, a little elbow grease and perseverance might get the job done!
The city administration is considering the possibility of reviving Trolleybus Route No.4, given the ongoing staffing issues at the Tramway-Trolleybus Management (TTU). Once these issues are resolved, the stable flow of finance in the industry source could potentially fund the reinstatement of the public-transit route, linking Govorova to Kaštakvia via Lenin and Kirov Prospects, and ending at the Tomsk-1 Station.
