A collective letter from entrepreneur-carriers has been received by Lutsk City Mayor Anton Kryvytskyi with a demand to set new maximum tariffs for travel in route taxis around the city in the amount of UAH 1.50. \n \nThe letter provides the following justification: "The previous maximum tariffs in the amount of UAH 0.80 per trip were set back in 1999 and currently do not correspond to the economic situation. The cost of fuel, which is the main expenditure component in the operation of rolling stock, has grown more than 2 times during the period of the established current maximum tariffs. ... due to the rise in prices for tires, batteries, spare parts, the costs of maintaining rolling stock have increased by 30 percent." \n \nAlso attached to the appeal is a cost analysis, which, in particular, specifies comparative prices for consumables in 2002-2004: the cost of fuel rose from UAH 1.36 to UAH 2.75, the cost of tires (per 1 pc.) – from UAH 300 to UAH 380. Overall, according to the calculations provided by the auto carriers, the cost of passenger transportation per 1 working day increased from UAH 123.35 to UAH 241.53. \n \nCity authorities are currently working on finding an optimal solution for carriers and passengers. After a detailed economic analysis of the problem, at the end of February the issue will be submitted for consideration by the executive committee. It is likely to assume that the local authorities will agree to increase the maximum tariffs to UAH 1.5 only on condition that the cost of travel in route taxis is fixed at the level of UAH 1. \n