What do you imagine when it comes to the railway? Warm and comfortable carriages where smiling, always ready to provide service employees work? Or dirty uncomfortable vehicles serviced by evil and disrespectful workers?
Most likely, it is unrealistic to find the ideal transport carrier now, but you can contact JSC PPK Chernozemye, which specializes in transporting passengers by commuter rail. What is this company? What is its history and modern activity? What is the testimonial of employees about PPK “Chernozemye”, as well as feedback from passengers and customers? Let's find out.
Some statistics
This enterprise (full name - the suburban passenger company (PPK) “Chernozemye”) provides services for the transport of passengers and their luggage by rail in the following areas: Kursk, Voronezh, Tambov, Lipetsk, Belgorod and Penza. As you can see, in the field of the company there were six territorial entities of the Russian Federation. In addition, since the summer of 2015, PPK Chernozemye has been providing services to residents of the Saratov Region (according to an agency agreement with OAO Saratov PPK).
According to official information, this railway company serves more than 26 thousand passengers every day. Thus, rolling stock in the amount of 160 units is activated daily.
To improve transport links and customer service, three production sites were organized: Michurinsky, Voronezh and Belgorod.
How did the activities of PPK “Chernozemye” begin? Let's find out.
Some historical information
OAO PPK Chernozemye was established on the basis of the Russian Railways open joint stock company and was officially registered at the end of December 2010. Thus, after four months, the company was granted a license as a permit for railway passenger traffic in its region. Three months later, another license was issued to expand the territorial sphere.
As you can see, the company is relatively young, but this does not affect the quality of the services provided.
Some more official information
At the moment, the post of General Director of PPK “Chernozemye” is occupied by Vitaly Ivanovich Shulgin.
The legal address of the company and its actual location coincides and appears at the address: 104 B, Voronezh Region, Russian Federation (to be more precise, non-residential built-in room I in lit.1A), office No 915.
Main office
According to the reviews of employees, OAO PPK Chernozemye in Voronezh oversees the activities of the enterprise in all six regions. The company's head office also performs other important work. For example, PPK “Chernozemye” in Voronezh not only organizes the transportation of passengers and their luggage, but also carries out technological control and analysis of the equipment used, as well as carries out financial and economic calculations. An important role of the head office is to monitor the safety and labor protection of workers and passengers, as well as the work of the training center, staff development and communication with local authorities and the media.
According to numerous reviews, the trade union organization operates in the Chernozemye PPK in Voronezh. This institution is designed to defend the rights of workers and employees and promote their safe and full work.
Thanks to the trade union of PPK “Chernozemye”, it became possible to openly resolve issues and disagreements between management and subordinates. The relationship between employees and the employer is regulated by the collective agreement of the enterprise.
Let's look at the production characteristics of PPK “Chernozemye”.
Used transport
According to employee reviews, the company uses a rented rolling stock represented by such vehicles:
- ED9M is an alternating current electric train manufactured at the Demikhovsky Machine-Building Plant specifically for the railways of the former USSR from 1995 to 2016. The design speed of the train is 130 km / h, the basic composition is nine-car (the total length of the electric car can be almost two hundred meters), the number of seats is 2251. This train runs on the road section of Voronezh-Gryazi and Voronezh-Liski.
- ED4M is a direct current electric train with a total composition of ten cars. The salons are equipped with fluorescent lamps and an information board. An electric machine connects the railway between Belgorod and Kursk.
- ER9T, ED9T and ER9PK are rolling stock of the old type, which operate on electrified sections of the railway in the Penza, Belgorod and Saratov regions.
- RA1 and RA2 - rail buses running between Michurinsky and Tambov, Voronezh-Kursky and Kastorny. ChMEZ and TEP70 diesel locomotives (with wooden benches in wagons). They can also follow the route of communication: Naberezhnoe – Stary Oskol, Ryazhsk – Morshansk and others.
Cost of services
This important issue concerns many passengers of the domestic railway. At the PPZ “Chernozemye”, as well as at many other similar enterprises, zone payment for travel and baggage services is carried out. That is, the payment for the passage of 1 zone is equal to ten passenger kilometers. The fixed cost is determined by regional institutions independently.
How much will residents of areas that are in the service sector of the Chernozemye PPK have to pay their hard-earned money? According to the latest data, for residents of the Belgorod and Tambov regions there is a tariff of sixteen Russian rubles per zone. Citizens of the Lipetsk region will pay for a similar service a little more expensive - 17.5 p. For passengers from the Voronezh, Kursk and Saratov regions, the passage of one zone will cost nineteen rubles. The most expensive to use transport can residents of the Penza region. They will have to pay 20 rubles for a similar service.
Of course, in this payment there are all kinds of nuances and even discounts. Employees in a timely manner notify customers of their appearance and validity.
Ticket offices that implement travel documents can usually be found at railway stations in all five regions under the auspices of the Chernozemye PPK. Their employees will advise you in detail before buying a ticket, telling about profitable promotions and offers, train schedules, etc.
The fight with the “hares”
Yes, for some time now the company’s management has introduced measures that identify those who carry out stowaways by the transport complex Chernozemye. For example, employees of the railway institution, together with employees of the transport police and prosecutors, carry out raids to capture dishonest passengers.
Automatic turnstiles installed at the entrances of some stations (for example, Mashket station and Ostrozhka station), through which you can go only with a freshly purchased ticket, are also being introduced.
Moreover, inspectors ply the cars, checking travel documents and selling tickets to those who have forgotten or have not specifically purchased them at ticket offices. In this case, the cheat for dishonesty will be 60 rubles overpayment.
At some large stations, for example, Voronezh-1 or Birch Grove, the so-called apron control is carried out, when two controllers check boarding passes for passengers immediately before entering the car.
According to feedback from Chernozemye employees, all of these measures have significantly improved the situation with non-payers, as a result of which even more money has come to the cashier of the enterprise, which can be used to increase wages for railway employees or improve the quality of transport services.
Public Relations
The purpose of this railway company is to provide residents of five regions of the Russian Federation with comfortable commuter transportation. For this, the management of the enterprise always goes to meet people, wanting to provide them with services as high quality and reliable as possible.
Recently, PPK “Chernozemye” began to carry out pleasant actions for passengers of its electric trains. For example, for the past three years, New Year promotions and discounts have been carried out in honor of Health Day.
Not so long ago, in the fall of 2017, the company organized a photo contest “Suburb through the eyes of a passenger”, in which everyone could participate.
The company also regularly provides privileges to the unprotected segments of the population in their transport. For example, Russian students can purchase membership cards at a fifty percent discount. True, the company recently tightened the conditions for the acquisition of discount coupons, which caused noticeable unrest among ordinary passengers.
Consumer Reviews
What do passengers say about the Chernozemye checkpoint? In general, people are satisfied with the activities of the company, but sadly note that the fare is getting more expensive, and the quality of services does not change. Moreover, many were upset by the recent decline in passenger traffic, when many routes and trains were completely or partially eliminated. Such changes occurred from 2012 to 2014, when the Lipetsk and Belgorod regions disconnected from the enterprise.
Employee Reviews
What do railway employees themselves say? As with all enterprises, feedback on work at the Chernozemye PPK is full of contradictions. Many note that they are satisfied with the salary, as well as the fact that it is completely transparent. Moreover, many employees of PPK “Chernozemye” are given discounts on travel and other benefits.
However, there are also dissatisfied. For example, workers regret that wages have fallen dramatically, that working conditions are difficult and uncomfortable, that bosses and leaders are rude and picky, that thunders and sloths flourish.
Finally
As you can see, the joint-stock company “Suburban Passenger Company Chernozemye” is a developing company that provides services for the transportation of passengers and their luggage by rail. The company has its own individual history, as well as certain pros and cons in its activities.
Nevertheless, the company has a huge impact on the economic development of our state. These are protected workplaces, and timely paid taxes, and high-quality transportation services provided to the population.