The Russian government has updated its medical regulations to allow people with physical disabilities to drive trucks and municipal public transport across the country.
Under the decree published on Russia's official legal acts portal, individuals who have lost an arm, leg, foot, hand, or fingers are now permitted to operate heavy commercial vehicles, buses, trolleybuses, and trams. Hand and foot deformities that significantly restrict movement have also been removed from the list of disqualifying medical conditions.
The government document noted that technological progress in the vehicle manufacturing industry and modern driver controls now make it possible for operators with physical limitations to drive safely.
At the same time, the updated regulations introduced one new disqualifying condition. The government established that the complete absence of both limbs or both hands, as well as severe deformities that prevent hand movement entirely, will prevent an individual from driving commercial vehicles.
Alignment with passenger car standards
Alexey Kuznetsov, an assistant to the Russian Minister of Health, explained the rationale behind the regulatory change in comments to the news agency RIA Novosti.
Kuznetsov said that the government acted to align the medical restrictions for commercial truck and public transport operators with the standards already governing drivers of standard passenger cars.
He said that advancements in automotive manufacturing and driver assistance systems allow individuals with physical limitations to operate transport safely on public roads. Kuznetsov added that federal officials thoroughly examined the issue alongside technical experts and interested government departments before approving the decision.
The Ministry of Health oversees public health policy and medical fitness criteria for occupations across Russia. In Russian cities, surface transit relies heavily on extensive networks of municipal buses, electric trolleybuses, and street trams that carry millions of commuters daily.
New limits on driver working hours
In a separate regulatory update, the Ministry of Transport of Russia approved an official order introducing specific work and rest schedules for commercial and transit drivers.
The new rules establish a standard 40-hour work week and 10-hour daily shifts for drivers of trucks, taxis, public transport, and other commercial categories. Shift lengths can only exceed 10 hours if both the individual driver and their representing trade union explicitly agree to the extension.
For cases where strict daily limits cannot be met due to objective operational constraints, employers are permitted to implement a flexible schedule. Under this system, total working hours are calculated on a cumulative monthly or quarterly basis, allowing longer shifts on some days if balanced by shorter shifts on others.
The Transport Ministry order permits the extension of a standard 10-hour shift to a maximum of 12 hours, provided that mandatory rest periods are integrated into the workday. Suburban passenger bus drivers must receive at least three hours of total rest during an extended shift, while drivers in all other covered categories must receive at least five hours of rest.
Exceptions and covered professions
The ministry granted permission for 12-hour shifts to specific professional groups, including taxi drivers, medical organization drivers, emergency services personnel, utility workers, cash collection agents, and media employees.
However, several key transport sectors are exempt from the new work time requirements. The regulations do not apply to drivers engaged in international transport operations, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, municipal ambulance crews, government authority staff, or military personnel.
The Ministry of Transport serves as the primary federal body overseeing transport infrastructure, commercial vehicle operations, and labor safety regulations across Russian road networks.
