I quarter 2000 is marked by strong decline in production output in relation to the previous quarter (-54%). The decline in the output in relation to the previous quarter is reported by 65% of the managers, whereas its increase is reported by 11% of the companies. The decline can be explained by influence of seasonal factors on the business performance of some of the transport categories. The decline, that was quite essential, was registered in any of the transport category. Thus, the balance of the output by transport category looks as follows: -75% for railway; -58% for automobile; -60% for marine; -25% for river and -15% for air transport.

Also, proportional decline in the output was recorded at the enterprises irrespective of their size. As regards the situation by ownership category, the least degree of decline was recorded at public ownership category (-43%). The enterprises of collective ownership category that account for the largest share in the surveyed population shrank their output more considerably (-58%) However, the strongest decrease was registered for private enterprises (-67%).

The output of I quarter was assessed as "high" at 1% of the respondent enterprises. The output was "satisfactory" according to 25% of the respondents, in view of the business circumstances dominating at the market of transport services, whereas 74% (which makes 55 percentage points higher in relation to the previous quarter) believe it to be "low" in relation to the business capabilities. The stress must be made upon the strong decline in the share of the enterprises who assess own output as "sati sfactory" (56 percentage points higher than in the previous quarter). That is, the performance in respect of the production output became for worse.

Increase in effective customer demand is felt in I quarter by only 3% of the respondents, whereas 44% indicated on its stability and 52% reported on its decline. Customer demand was assessed as "low" by overwhelming majority of the respondents, e.g. by as many as 79%, which is 22 percentage points higher than in the previous quarter. 19% of the resp ond ent rep ort on "s ati sfactory" effective demand for their services and 1% -on "high" one. Everything referred to above may be but an indication of a new whirl of downswing in the demand from the customers in I quarter 2000.

Average growth rate of the tariffs made 14,8% at the enterprises who used to change own tariffs. By transport category, the growth rates look as follows (average figures for the companies who report on changes in the tariffs): 15.4% at automobile, 10,6% at air, 2,0% at river, 15,6% at railway transport. Marine transport turned to be the only sub-sector where no movements in the respect were reported.

As regards orders inflow, average indicators by transport category look as follows: 17 days of smooth business at railway transport, 45 - at marine, 26 - at river, 48 - at automobile and 46 at air transport category.

10% of the respondents report, that their production capacities are "more than sufficient" in relation to their order book, another 74% of respondents report on "sufficient" correlation and 13% - on "insufficient" (e.g. the capacities available at the companies of the latter category are overloaded given the available material and technical facilities).

Financial & economic performance of I quarter 2000 is reported as poor by 71% of the respondents, while the rest of 28% estimate it at "satisfactory" level. At the same time, in private sector the share of the enterprises reporting about "bad" performance makes 17%. In relation to the previous quarter the performance was up at 3% of the respondent enterprises in automobile transport sub-sector, whereas at another 44% of the transport enterprises it was reported as "down". Financial & economic performance of 53% of the respondents didn't move far enough in either direction.

Employment in the sector (% of the staff employment) looks as follows: 23,6% of the employment were involved part-time and 13,9% were out of work.

In view of this situation, in I quarter the employment was reduced at 60% of the respondent enterprises, and only 3% of the companies recruited staff.

The question "what are the strongest factors that affect your normal business performance" was answered by the respondents in the following way (% of the total number of respondent companies):