Public transportation reduces its fleet by up to 30% starting today, with delays and overcrowding expected

Urban and intercity public transportation is expected to operate with 20 to 30% fewer buses starting today, September 1, as operators say rising costs and high fuel prices no longer allow them to keep their entire fleets in service.

The decision is expected to directly affect citizens who use public transportation every day. Associations warn that reducing the number of vehicles will lower service frequency, increase waiting times at stops, and could lead to overcrowding on buses, particularly during peak hours.

Operators say the measure has been forced by their financial situation, and that the number of buses removed from service will vary depending on the capabilities of each operator.

“Starting from September 1, 2026, public transportation operators will be forced to operate with a fleet reduced by approximately 20–30%, depending on the financial and operational capacity currently available to each operator,” the associations said in their statement.

The associations acknowledge that the fleet reduction will have consequences for the quality and frequency of the service.

“The reduction in vehicles in operation is inevitably expected to lead to a decrease in service frequency, longer intervals between vehicles, overcrowding on the vehicles that remain in service, and difficulties for citizens who use public transportation every day.”

“Operators have made and continue to make every effort to ensure the continuity of the service, but under the current financial conditions, operating with 100% of the fleet is no longer affordable,” their letter states.

This means that citizens may face longer intervals between buses, while the vehicles remaining in service are expected to carry heavier passenger loads.

In response to the situation, operators have addressed the government and the Municipality of Tirana, calling for immediate intervention regarding fuel costs.

At the center of their demands is the continuation of financial support for diesel. The associations are asking for the extension of the compensation of 50 lekë per liter, arguing that current fuel prices have made it difficult for the lines to operate normally.

The concern is not new. Since May, public transportation operators have warned that operating costs are becoming increasingly difficult to cover.

During August alone, the National Urban Transport Association repeated its call for intervention twice, warning that without a solution, it would be forced to reduce the number of vehicles in service.

Starting today, according to the associations, this warning is expected to be implemented through a reduction of the fleet by up to 30%.

In the absence of an agreement between the institutions and operators, passengers are expected to bear the brunt of the consequences, with fewer buses on routes, longer waiting times at stops, and heavier passenger loads on the vehicles that continue to operate.

“KORÇA BOOM”