Purchases of school buses under the state program in 2023 increased to 675 units compared to 487 units in 2022, but in 2024 they will decrease, taking into account the fact that the amount of the subvention from the state budget remained the same - UAH 1 billion, and bus prices could increase by up to 20%, said Vadym Shkarupin, director of Etalon Auto Trading House.

“In 2023, with additional funds allocated from local budgets, the total cost of purchasing school buses was about UAH 2 billion, 675 units were purchased. But we think that this year the number will not be the same,” he said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency in Kyiv on Wednesday.

Justifying his opinion, he noted that, firstly, the hryvnia to US dollar exchange rate set by the NBU is now UAH 36.57/$1, while UAH 40.7/$1 is planned in the budget for next year, i.e. growth of about 12%.

In addition, all Ukrainian bus manufacturers are import-dependent, i.e. there is both direct and indirect influence of imports (when products are purchased from a Ukrainian manufacturer, who in turn also partially imports products).

“Therefore, of course, the cost of buses will increase. At least by 12%, but plus complicated logistics makes products more expensive, we can talk about a 15-20% increase in the price of buses, and our customers should already be guided by this,” he noted.

As Shkarupin clarified to the Interfax-Ukraine agency, the estimated figure for 2024 is up to 400 school buses, but if the local subvention is more than 30% (as it was this year), it may increase.

As reported, in 2022, the subvention from the state budget for school buses amounted to UAH 753 million, for 2023 it was increased to UAH 1 billion, and for 2024 it was kept at the same amount.

School bus modifications in Ukraine are produced by Chernihiv Automotive Plant of Etalon Corporation, Cherkasy Bus, and Zaporizhia Automobile Plant.