In St. Petersburg, urban public offices first appeared in the 1840s thanks to the entrepreneurship of the Director of the 1st Cadet Corps of Baron K. A. Schlippenbach.

The appearance of these omnibuses became an event of the day, very liked the public, and everyone considered it his obligation to ride in them, so that, having paid a hryvnia for traveling through Nevsky, have the opportunity to talk to acquaintances about the impressions experienced during this trip.

The success of this enterprise, the cheapness and convenience of traveling in omnibuses became known to the emperor, and he wished to personally make sure of this. Walking one day on Nevsky and meeting a diligence, he made a sign to stop and entered it. Although it was tight, the place was found, and the lord arrived at Admiralty Square.

He wanted to go out, but the conductor stopped him:

Can I get a fee for the trip?

Nikolai Pavlovich was in a difficult position: he never carried money with him, and from his companions no one hesitated or,, did not guess to offer him his wallet. The conductor had to believe in the debt to the Russian tsar.

The next day, in the office of the dealers of the chambers, the lackey delivered ten kopecks with the appendix of twenty-five rubles for tea to the conductor.