The project's goal is to create appropriate conditions to ensure equal access of students to high-quality general secondary education by organizing safe, regular and comfortable transportation of children to educational institutions. The project is aimed at overcoming territorial inequality in educational services, optimizing the school network and increasing the efficiency of using educational infrastructure. Methods of achieving the goal To implement the stated goal, it is planned to implement a set of measures, in particular: Purchase of new school buses that meet the safety requirements for transporting children, have lifts or seats for children with disabilities (if necessary) and meet environmental standards (Euro-5 or higher). Transfer of buses to the communal ownership of territorial communities, which will organize the transportation of students and teachers. Development of effective routes that will optimize fuel consumption and transportation time. Training school bus drivers in the rules of safety for transporting children, as well as conducting periodic technical inspections of vehicles. Monitoring the efficiency of bus use - recording the number of students transported, technical condition, level of safety and satisfaction of service users.

Existing infrastructure relevant to the project General characteristics A network of secondary education institutions operates in the communities, some of which are located in remote settlements. To ensure the transportation of students, an existing fleet of school buses, which are municipally owned by local councils or education departments, is used. The buses serve both the transportation of children to support schools and the transportation of teaching staff. Technical condition and degree of wear The average age of buses is 8–12 years, and about 40–50% of vehicles are operated beyond the standard term (10 years). A significant part of the buses has a high degree of physical wear (over 70%), which is manifested in reduced reliability, frequent breakdowns, increased fuel consumption and increased repair costs. Not all vehicles are equipped with seat belts, traffic control systems or special devices for transporting children with disabilities. Some buses do not meet modern environmental standards (Euro-5 and above). Level of functioning and coverage of the target audience The current infrastructure provides transportation for only about 60–70% of students living in rural areas. Due to the lack of transport, some children are forced to get to school on foot or by private transport, which creates social inequality and increases safety risks. Due to the wear and tear of buses, some routes operate irregularly or temporarily stop transportation. Some communities do not have backup transport, so in the event of a bus breakdown, children are not transported. Capacities and limitations The available fleet capacities do not allow for full coverage of existing routes, especially after optimizing the school network and creating support schools. There is a lack of seats in buses, which creates overloading of vehicles. Insufficient level of technical maintenance (lack of modern diagnostic equipment, qualified personnel in communities). There is a limited number of qualified drivers who have experience in transporting children. The road infrastructure in some villages is in poor condition, which further complicates the operation of old buses.