Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT108
2008-01-22 10:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: MINISTRY OF MOTOR TRANSPORT WANTS
how-toVZCZCXRO7628 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0108 0221041 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 221041Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0118 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 3279 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1094 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0965 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1534 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2135
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000108
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, EEB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ECON ELTN TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MINISTRY OF MOTOR TRANSPORT WANTS
NEW TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE OPERATIONS
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000108
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, EEB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ECON ELTN TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MINISTRY OF MOTOR TRANSPORT WANTS
NEW TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE OPERATIONS
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a January 7 meeting, officials of
Turkmenistan's Ministry of Motor Transport, responsible for
passenger and cargo safety on Turkmenistan's roads, expressed
interest in learning more about how U.S. municipalities
successfully manage their public transportation fleets and
how to use technology to move passengers in the most
efficient way possible. END SUMMARY.
SAFETY ON THE ROADS -- BOTH PEOPLE AND GOODS
3. (SBU) During a January 7 meeting with EmbOff, the Head of
the Roadway and Labor Safety Security Department and the Head
Specialist of the International Relations Department of the
Ministry of Motor Transport discussed their work regulating
the safe and efficient transportation of people and cargo
around Turkmenistan. The Ministry's scope includes inter-
and intra-city transportation of people via automobiles,
buses, and taxis, as well as preventing loss in cargo
transportation.
SAFETY IS A SEASONAL ISSUE
4. (SBU) The Ministry of Motor Transport views
Turkmenistan's transportation safety issues as seasonal, when
lots of people and vehicles are on the road at the same time.
The officials named summertime as one of those periods, when
large numbers of children travel to camp. International
meetings, when numerous visitors converge on Ashgabat, are
sporadic events that the Ministry must also manage. In terms
of cargo, a huge amount of raw cotton moves inter-regionally
during the harvest season (September),adding cargo traffic
to the mix.
INTERESTED IN LEARNING FROM FOREIGN COUNTERPARTS
5. (SBU) The Ministry of Motor Transport expressed interest
in learning from foreign counterparts about efficient
organization of municipal mass transportation systems,
including use of GPS technology in traffic and fleet
management, route planning, and moving passengers in a timely
fashion. As an example of their efforts to improve municipal
mass transportation capability, Ministry officials added that
President Berdimuhamedov recently procured 345 new buses for
Ashgabat's public transportation system.
6. (SBU) COMMENT: President Berdimuhamedov said that
Turkmenistan needs to gain foreign expertise, and word seems
to be trickling down to the ministries. State-of-the-art
technology is highly sought after in Turkmenistan, and
showing the Ministry how U.S. cities use GPS technology would
get the Ministry's attention. However, Turkmenistan needs a
national transportation safety campaign. During a recent
snowstorm, many drivers routinely passed cars at normal
(zooming) speeds on city streets, and children crossed
intersections as cars drove through green lights.
Furthermore, despite what our interlocutors claimed, road
safety is clearly not a seasonal issue in Turkmenistan,
because drivers routinely change lanes without looking, and
people, soliciting gypsy cabs (private cars freelancing as
taxis),stand in the middle of lanes and cross busy streets
without looking. Embassy Ashgabat is trying to engage with
the government of Turkmenistan on many levels. Working with
the Ministry of Motor Transport on highway safety or
municipal transportation management would be yet one more way
to expand the relationship. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE, EEB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ECON ELTN TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MINISTRY OF MOTOR TRANSPORT WANTS
NEW TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE OPERATIONS
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a January 7 meeting, officials of
Turkmenistan's Ministry of Motor Transport, responsible for
passenger and cargo safety on Turkmenistan's roads, expressed
interest in learning more about how U.S. municipalities
successfully manage their public transportation fleets and
how to use technology to move passengers in the most
efficient way possible. END SUMMARY.
SAFETY ON THE ROADS -- BOTH PEOPLE AND GOODS
3. (SBU) During a January 7 meeting with EmbOff, the Head of
the Roadway and Labor Safety Security Department and the Head
Specialist of the International Relations Department of the
Ministry of Motor Transport discussed their work regulating
the safe and efficient transportation of people and cargo
around Turkmenistan. The Ministry's scope includes inter-
and intra-city transportation of people via automobiles,
buses, and taxis, as well as preventing loss in cargo
transportation.
SAFETY IS A SEASONAL ISSUE
4. (SBU) The Ministry of Motor Transport views
Turkmenistan's transportation safety issues as seasonal, when
lots of people and vehicles are on the road at the same time.
The officials named summertime as one of those periods, when
large numbers of children travel to camp. International
meetings, when numerous visitors converge on Ashgabat, are
sporadic events that the Ministry must also manage. In terms
of cargo, a huge amount of raw cotton moves inter-regionally
during the harvest season (September),adding cargo traffic
to the mix.
INTERESTED IN LEARNING FROM FOREIGN COUNTERPARTS
5. (SBU) The Ministry of Motor Transport expressed interest
in learning from foreign counterparts about efficient
organization of municipal mass transportation systems,
including use of GPS technology in traffic and fleet
management, route planning, and moving passengers in a timely
fashion. As an example of their efforts to improve municipal
mass transportation capability, Ministry officials added that
President Berdimuhamedov recently procured 345 new buses for
Ashgabat's public transportation system.
6. (SBU) COMMENT: President Berdimuhamedov said that
Turkmenistan needs to gain foreign expertise, and word seems
to be trickling down to the ministries. State-of-the-art
technology is highly sought after in Turkmenistan, and
showing the Ministry how U.S. cities use GPS technology would
get the Ministry's attention. However, Turkmenistan needs a
national transportation safety campaign. During a recent
snowstorm, many drivers routinely passed cars at normal
(zooming) speeds on city streets, and children crossed
intersections as cars drove through green lights.
Furthermore, despite what our interlocutors claimed, road
safety is clearly not a seasonal issue in Turkmenistan,
because drivers routinely change lanes without looking, and
people, soliciting gypsy cabs (private cars freelancing as
taxis),stand in the middle of lanes and cross busy streets
without looking. Embassy Ashgabat is trying to engage with
the government of Turkmenistan on many levels. Working with
the Ministry of Motor Transport on highway safety or
municipal transportation management would be yet one more way
to expand the relationship. END COMMENT.
HOAGLAND