Public Transport Department

The Public Transport Department (hereinafter referred to as the Department) operates in accordance with the Regulations of the Vidzeme Planning Region Public Transport Department approved by the Vidzeme Planning Region Development Council on January 29, 2014. The competence, operational objectives, tasks, rights, work organization and structure of the Department are determined on the basis of the Public Transport Services Law and, in accordance with the agreement between the Vidzeme Planning Region and the Public Transport Council.

The department performs the following tasks and functions:

  1. examines and summarizes the proposals, recommendations and claims of the municipalities of the Vidzeme region, legal entities and individuals regarding the organization of public transport services in the territory of the Vidzeme Planning Region and provides responses and opinions;
  2. prepares and provides VSIA “Autotransporta direkcija” proposals and opinions for planning and changes to regional routes of the public transport route network;
  3. prepares proposals for determining changes in public transport tariffs (fares);
  4. inspect bus stops in the territory of the planning region and provide proposals regarding their necessity, usefulness, construction and inclusion in route timetables or route descriptions;
  5. within its competence, represents the Vidzeme Planning Region and acts on its behalf:
    1. in the work and decision – making of the Public Transport Council;
    2. in institutions, institutional working groups and meetings;
  6. evaluates and provides opinions on draft documents and regulatory enactments prepared by other public administration institutions; cooperates with state administration institutions, regional municipalities, other planning regions, international institutions, legal entities and individuals in the field of public transport services;
  7. posts information on public transport service issues on the Vidzeme Planning Region website;
  8. performs other tasks in accordance with the orders, recommendations, and requests of the Chairman of the Vidzeme Planning Region Development Council, the Deputy Chairman of the Development Council, or the Head of Administration;
  9. performs other tasks in accordance with the recommendations and requests of the Public Transport Council and VSIA “Autotransporta direkcija”;
  10. issues special permits (licenses) for commercial passenger transportation by taxi.

Commercial passenger transportation by taxi

In accordance with the amendments to the Road Transport Law, from May 1, 2018, special permits (licenses) for commercial passenger transport by taxi are issued by planning regions. The Vidzeme Planning Region issues special permits (licenses) and license cards for commercial passenger transport by taxi in the territory of the Vidzeme Planning Region, including, from July 1, 2021, also in the city of Valmiera.