Kazakhstan may change the procedure for trucks driving on toll roads. The issue was discussed at a meeting of the working group on road tolls chaired by Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
“We build roads, but we continue to cover the costs of their maintenance and repair from the budget. It is necessary to create a system where road infrastructure is self-sustaining,” Serik Zhumangarin noted.
The meeting focused on payment methods for commercial trucks, including domestic and foreign carriers. At the same time, the proposed measures do not envisage changing the travel conditions for citizens' personal passenger cars.
Independent insurance expert Aigerim Karabyyikoglu drew attention to the difference in toll road tariffs between Kazakhstan and neighboring countries. She proposed studying the possibility of bringing tariffs closer to the regional level, as well as considering separate conditions for domestic carriers.
“The expert proposed elaborating mechanisms for insuring foreign trucks when crossing the state border. Such an approach could become an additional tool for compensating the impact of trucks on road infrastructure, as well as a source of financing for its maintenance and repair,” the statement said.
A representative of the national company KazAvtoZhol, Farkhad Nurkmailov, proposed considering the possibility of introducing annual subscriptions for transport companies. This would allow carriers to pay for planned mileage in advance and optimize travel costs when trip volumes are high. It could also help increase the collection rate of payments and reduce debt.
Logistics and transport expert Bolatbek Nazhimetdinuly proposed studying the possibility of differentiating tariffs depending on the environmental class of vehicles, emission levels, and the load on the road surface. It was also proposed to use digital tools to monitor truck traffic in order to increase the transparency of freight transport and ensure compliance with toll payment requirements.