Traveling by means of public transport in Durrës is a separate challenge for anyone whose budget does not allow for a car. In the largest coastal city in the country with 200 thousand inhabitants and only 37 km from the capital, the urban transport system is characterized by serious problems for the consumer. Buses without ventilation systems, dirty and unethical behavior of the tollbooths, are some of the concerns listed by the citizens.
A report by the "Albanian Consumer" Center states that the lack of ventilation and air conditioners, as well as dirt in vehicles, are considered among the main problems.
Garbage, cigarette butts, paper or water bottles are often seen on the floor of buses or between the seats. During the peak of summer the dirt made travel even more difficult. The dust and heat, along with odors due to the lack of windows, made breathing difficult for the passengers, causing asphyxiation for some, but also serious problems for all allergy sufferers.
According to the report, passengers do not have the opportunity to be informed about the location of the stations. Despite the legal obligation to publish the regulation in Albanian, you can understand it on buses only if you know German or French. Although in the new urban cars that are in circulation, there are visible seats for Persons with Special Needs, such as individuals with physical disabilities, the elderly and pregnant women, still the latter hardly manage to sit in the seats dedicated to them.
Overcrowded buses, stopping everywhere
Depending on the bus, the number of passengers who can find a place to sit varies from 20 to 29 people. Others remain standing, even in many cases, all limits are exceeded, reaching up to 50 people. Inside the buses, there are no signs to orient the passengers where the stations of the respective line are. While the audio notification would be considered a luxury, in many cases the passengers learn about the location only when the vehicle is stopped.
Chaos is also added by the lack of clear definition of the stations or the lack of yellow lines indicating the bus stops, which seems to be a consequence of investments in public infrastructure. Due to the arrangements for the construction of Veliera square near Porti, the station that was there has been completely eliminated. This has led to an increase in the distance between the stations and as a result the bus often stops according to the passengers' requests, in the middle of the road, provoking accidents.
Badly behaved, sometimes drunk, fatorino
As if the lack of conditions and hygiene on the buses were not enough, passengers often have to face the improper behavior of the ticket clerks.
From the daily monitoring carried out by the "Albanian Consumer" Center, it appears that the behavior of the billers is problematic and in many cases it is discriminatory behavior against the Roma minority. The biggest problems are noticed in the late hours, when their communication is often unethical.
On the website of the "Albanian Consumer" Center on social networks, citizens have received a number of complaints about the behavior of invoices. A lady recounts the unpleasant situation created in the vehicle, when the fatorino and the driver were drunk. In addition to the improper communication of the urban staff, it shows the panic experienced by all the passengers. "It was scary. We were all scared, as the driver could not keep control of the vehicle properly."
The report "wakes up" the municipality and public transport companies
Oftentimes, unjustified administrative and economic barriers prevent the involvement of many private operators, leading to the concentration of services and diminution of competition, which is directly reflected in the quality of the service provided. As mentioned in the Progress Report for Albania in 2016 by the European Commission in relation to transport, it is necessary to align with acquired for public service obligations, including public service contracts. Albania has not yet transposed the legislation on timetable rules during the summer season, and the improvement of administrative capacities in all transport sectors is needed.
The monitoring report, carried out in two phases with the support of "Lëviz Albania", aimed at increasing the accountability of local government structures to ensure quality and accessible suburban transport, especially on the three targeted lines: Durrës - Plepa - Durrës; Durrës - Currila - Durrës and Durrës - A.Moisiu University - Durrës.
Despite the problems, the monitoring report has set in motion the municipality of Durrës and the leaders of the companies that provide public transport services in this city, bringing some positive changes. Specifically, the hours of the offered service have been extended by about two hours. In one of the lines, the old vehicles were replaced with new buses, which also have seats for people with special needs. The cashiers, although not all, have been equipped with the appropriate uniform, unlike what was found in the first monitoring, where no one followed the rule to wear the uniform.
Author: DH / Citizens Channel
