Bucharest: 24 km of dedicated bus/trolley lane, 76 sanctions applied in 12 months and 65 vehicles driving irregularly in one bus lane for 60 minutes.

The creation of a modern, extensive, fast and predictable public transport system depends not only on the renewal of the fleet, but also on the set of flows that provide and regulate this system.

Bureaucracy, the enemy of public transport

The sleep of the authorities (mayor’s office, police, etc.) slows down public transport, encourages stupidity and breaking the law.

Reorganization of routes without thorough analysis

The responsibility and authority in the field of public transport of people in Bucharest and Ilfov is shared between Bucharest – Ilfov Public Transport Development Association (TPBI) and four public transport companies.

Bucharest – Ilfov Intercommunity Development Association (TPBI)

TPBI is responsible for the organization, management, monitoring and control of public transport services, service planning and actions to ensure and improve mobility.

Public transport operators

The actual implementation of public transport services in Bucharest and Ilfov was contracted to 4 operators.

4 companies that provide these services on the basis of delegation agreements:

• Bucharest Transport Company (STB).
• Volunteer Transport Service (VTS).
• Ecotrans STCM SRL (Chitila).
• Regio Serv Transport SRL (Buftea).

TBPI is responsible for the implementation of the public transport policy, including the development of traffic schedules and the reconfiguration of public transport routes in the Bucharest-Ilfov region.

It’s just that the path from theory to practice is long, and in reality, detailed analyzes and complex studies are often replaced by political and bureaucratic decisions made on the knees.

Case – STB 783 line

In the second half of 2023, the Bucharest City Hall and the Bucharest Public Transport Development Association – Ilfov (TPBI) decided to reorganize the bus line connecting Bucharest to Otopeni Airport (STB bus line 783).

Thus, from December 1, 2023, express line 783 was reorganized, transformed into line 100, and the route changed.

The fact is that, apart from the triumphalism and the image, the reality is at least disturbing.

The persons responsible for the planning and organization of public transport (Association for Intercommunal Development of Public Transport of Bucharest – Ilfov and Bucharest City Hall) did not even have a set of basic data to justify this decision.

Therefore, TPBI does not even have data on the passenger traffic that used the 783 route in 2023.

On the date when the decision was made to reorganize the route of express (bus) line 783 between Piața Unirii and Otopeni Airport, TPBI had only a few months of passenger data.

Thus, on December 1, 2023 (the date when bus line STB 783 became line 100), the structure in charge of the organization and planning of public transport in Bucharest (TBPI) had data on the number of passengers who used this express line. in approximately 4 months, respectively for the period 25.07.2023 – 01.12.2023 (1,450,090 passengers).

How can the planned changes improve the public transport system and increase the attractiveness of this service, if those responsible do not even have a picture of this system or its individual components?

Although the Association for the Development of Public Transport Bucharest-Ilfov (TPBI) has at its disposal, in addition to the classic means of determining the number of passengers, and some modern ones, including passenger counting systems, it has approximately 160 employees and the salary in the last 2 years was approximately 21 million lei (over 4 million euros).

With the hassle-free planning of public transport services, without detailed analysis, without complex data and information, without an effective data modeling system (in the absence of even basic information), the failure of public transport in competition with private cars and vehicles is a guaranteed alternative.

But the bureaucracy goes further, and the authorities can triumphantly pose next to new means of public transport.

Dedicated lanes for public transport. Or on “special”?

There are about 24 km of lanes for public transport in the capital.

Including those made at STB stations.

Depending on the method of organization, there are two types of public transport lanes:

• The color is determined by signs and road markings.

• A color defined by signs and separated from the rest of the traffic flow (usually by bars).

However, not all road users follow road signs and lanes intended for public transport.

And then, in addition to educational and information measures, the intervention of law enforcement agencies is also necessary, including through sanctions.

But there is a double problem here:

• On the one hand, related to administrative inefficiency.

• On the other hand, related to the ineffectiveness of legislation.

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