Deputy Andrey Gurulev has proposed hiring women in Chita as trolleybus drivers to address the shortage of male drivers, many of whom have joined the war effort. Gurulev shared this information with Chita.ru on December 9.
Sixteen trolleybus drivers in Chita have signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense. As a result of the staffing shortage, only half of the city’s trolleybuses are currently in operation, according to Andrey Gurulev, a member of the United Russia party, speaking to Chita.ru.
"We should let girls drive trolleybuses the way it was in my youth, as I recall. Besides, vehicles are much more comfortable now," Gurulev said.
The deputy asserted that trolleybuses are a hallmark of Chita and that housing prices are higher in areas served by their routes. Gurulev also noted that trolleybus drivers earn 60,000 rubles before taxes.
Meanwhile, Irkutsk faces a similar issue, with at least 15 trolleybus drivers joining the war effort due to low wages. In July, the mayor of Novokuznetsk in Kemerovo Oblast ordered the creation of a "female squad" to address the driver shortage.