The recent regulatory framework reconfigures the architecture of inter-county road transport in Romania through a clear shift: from classic administrative management to integrated digital control of transport flows, intermediation, and professional competence. [MTI Order no. 418/2026] operationalizes the provisions of [Government Ordinance no. 5/2026], with direct effects on operators, bus stations, and intermediaries.
- Transport network digitalization – mandatory single platform
The “National Road Mobility Network” platform is introduced as a mandatory infrastructure for managing routes.
Immediate impact on operators:
- route and schedule changes are validated exclusively digitally;
- the relationship with bus stations becomes electronically contractualized, with automatic legal effect;
- contract termination triggers strict notification deadlines (5–60 days), with automatic removal from the network in case of non-compliance.
From a financial control and operational audit perspective, the platform functions as a full traceability mechanism for transport capacity, reducing room for informal adjustments of route networks.
- Professional competence recalibration – extension to category B/BE
The professional certification regime is extended to paid activities carried out with category B and BE vehicles.
Key elements:
- introduction of the Professional Training Certificate (CPP) for B/BE;
- transition period until 01.01.2027 without mandatory formal training;
- after this deadline, training becomes an eligibility condition.
For categories C and CE, CPI/CPC certificates remain recognized as proof of competence.
- Special regime for non-EU workers (Moldova / Serbia)
A flexible access mechanism to the labor market is introduced:
- certification without work permit approval;
- requirement of a full-time employment contract;
- limitation of 9 months/year;
- strict correlation with contract and operator license validity.
This mechanism reduces administrative friction but increases operator responsibility regarding documentation compliance.
- Intermediation – legal separation and mandatory licensing
Intermediation activity is formally defined and segmented:
- passenger transport (occasional + ticket issuance);
- freight transport based on contracts;
- operation through third parties on behalf of the intermediary.
All activities fall under mandatory licensing as auxiliary road transport activities.
From a fiscal and legal risk perspective, the intermediary becomes an entity with extended operational liability, not merely a demand aggregator.
- Transparency and reporting regime – increased administrative pressure
Operators are required to:
- inform passengers about schedule changes;
- ensure on-board display of information;
- report monthly granted facilities (discounts/free rides) to the Romanian Road Authority (ARR).
This reporting creates a database that can indirectly support fiscal and subsidy control of public transport.
- Bus station governance – non-discriminatory access
Bus stations can no longer apply differentiated tariffs or access conditions between operators.
Effectively eliminated:
- arbitrary differentiated pricing;
- imposition of uncontracted additional services.
The direct economic effect is compression of local intermediation margins and standardization of infrastructure access costs.
- Control architecture – ARR and ISCTR
Implementation is supported by:
- Romanian Road Authority (ARR);
- State Inspectorate for Road Transport Control (ISCTR).
The resulting model is continuous monitoring based on real-time operational data, where compliance is no longer punctual but digitally continuously verifiable.