Latvian bus operators halt up to 3,000 regional services

Latvian bus operators are refusing to run state-ordered regional services in a nationwide protest, potentially affecting up to 3,000 routes and 60,000 passengers, LSM reported.

The protest, organised by the Latvian Passenger Carriers Association, involves eight operators. They are demanding a long-term solution for indexing their contracts and additional state funding to cover the cost of providing transport services.

The participating operators are Daugavpils Autobusu Parks, Hansabuss Latvija, Talsu Autotransports, Rezeknes Autobusu Parks, Norma-A, which provides services under the Ecolines brand, Liepajas Autobusu Parks, Nordeka and Dautrans.

Liepajas Autobusu Parks said the protest affects only regional services and will not disrupt public transport services within the city of Liepaja.

Cata, Latvijas Sabiedriskais Autobuss, VTU Valmiera and municipal operator Ventspils Reiss are not taking part in the protest.

Information about cancelled services is available on the operators’ websites and social media accounts, as well as on the website of the Autotransporta Direkcija. The directorate said it would impose contractual penalties on the companies taking part.

The passenger carriers’ association has said that rising costs and uncertainty over the Transport Ministry’s future plans for the route network are putting pressure on the industry. According to the association, fuel prices have risen by more than 56% since tender offers were submitted, while overall inflation has reached 38.1%. It says that the prices set in existing long-term contracts no longer match the actual costs of providing public transport services.