From the navigation of 1940 the rate of traffic on Volga as well as throughout the country was slowing down. Transportations in the 1930s were carried out in hard conditions. While freight and passenger traffic increased annually, propelled fleet declined. Fleet replenishment, as well as its decline mainly occurred due to redistribution of old vessels between shipping companies but not due to the building of new ships. Besides, during the pre-war period the USSR had the acute problem of providing the river transport with professionals. The main difficulty lies in the inability to supply fleet, routes and coastal enterprises with qualified personnel that during the 1930s was not numerous. The situation with unskilled labor force was no better. It was complicated by the huge turnover and disproportionate distribution of workers between shipping companies and within them. The importance of training qualified specialists for working in ports and marines was underestimated. Low rate of technical reconstruction due to insufficient investments reduced the efficiency of water transport enterprises. The Lower Volga river fleet and the shore facilities were not sufficiently developed. All these difficulties had influence on the rate of cargo and passenger transportation.

С навигации 1940 г. наблюдалось снижение темпов перевозок, как в волжских пароходствах, так и по всей стране. Это было связано не только с ростом нужд обороны и перераспределением средств в пользу военного судостроения. Медленная техническая реконструкция вследствие низких капиталовложений снижала эффективность работы предприятий водного транспорта. Материально-техническая база как флота, так и берегового хозяйства нижневолжского речного флота была недостаточно развита, что отражалось на темпах перевозок грузов и пассажиров.