In the Russian market of transport services there are more than 550 thousand operators, among which more than half are private firms and individual entrepreneurs. At their disposal there are more than 1 million trucks. Non-state firms transport 90 to 99% of automobile, sea and river, 2/3 of air cargo; more than 85% of passengers in road transport and more than 40% in air transport.

Transportation of passengers of urban and suburban transport, as well as on the railways is unprofitable and is covered by grants from local budgets (they arrive very irregularly), as well as through income from freight traffic. As a result, many transport enterprises are unprofitable and do not have the funds to upgrade rolling stock. The decrease in traffic increases their cost, since many costs remain constant. The emergence of numerous resellers, who appropriate most of the income, is quite dangerous.

The main problems of Russian railways are depreciation of tracks and rolling stock, low speed, lack of railways in a number of northern and eastern regions, their congestion on the way to ports and in a number of other places, the continuing Russian Railways monopoly on locomotives, etc.

In Russia, it is planned to invest 2.6 trillion rubles by 2018. in the development of railway transport, including 1 trillion rubles — on the modernization of the track and the purchase of rolling stock.

The fleet of freight and passenger locomotives of Russian Railways (about 20 thousand units) is worn out by more than 70%. According to the State Duma Committee on Transport, to date, 70% of railway bridges have been used up, 15% of the road has been operated beyond the overhaul period.

The development of the domestic economy depends largely on the supply of food, household chemicals, electronics and other consumer goods. Most of these goods are delivered by road trains. According to the Association of International Road Carriers of Russia, Russian road transport enterprises have laid routes to more than 40 countries of the world, but only 39% of the total volume of cargo delivered annually to Russia and sent abroad is due to domestic carriers, and the remaining 61% of import and export transported by foreigners. The priority in the delivery of Russian goods abroad and imported goods to the territory of the Russian Federation should be from domestic companies. This is beneficial for the regional economy, because every working car gives 3–5 jobs. In addition, the transport component in the price of imported goods remains in Russia.