Starting today (September 1, 2026), public transport operators are warning that they will reduce their fleets because of high operating costs and the failure to secure fuel compensation.
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The associations are calling for urgent intervention from the institutions. The decision comes after operators repeatedly requested that the fuel compensation period be extended by at least three months, as the costs of operating with a full fleet have become unaffordable.
The impact is expected to be felt directly by citizens. Fewer vehicles in service will mean a reduced service frequency, longer intervals between buses, overcrowding on the vehicles that continue to operate, and greater difficulties for citizens who depend on public transport every day.
REQUEST
The National City Transport Association and the Urban and Interurban Transport Association have addressed the Prime Minister’s Office, the Tirana Municipality, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, and the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, calling for immediate institutional intervention. In their request dated August 31, 2026, the associations raise concerns about the financial situation of public transport operators, which, according to them, has reached a level that directly affects their ability to continue providing services at full capacity. The announced measure is direct: from September 1, operators will be forced to operate with their fleets reduced by around 20–30%, depending on the financial and operational capacity of each operator. The associations stress that the reduction is not a choice, but the result of their financial inability to cover the operating costs of a full fleet. Fuel, they say, is one of the main cost items of the business.
COMPENSATION
One of the operators’ main concerns concerns compensation for fuel costs. The document says that, despite ongoing requests and communications with the responsible institutions, no response or concrete institutional solution has yet been provided for some of the issues raised. According to the associations, this situation, combined with high fuel prices and other essential expenses required to operate the business, has significantly undermined the operators’ financial liquidity. The associations are calling on the responsible institutions to provide concrete answers to the requests submitted and enable the payment of the compensation provided for fuel costs, as well as the continuation of support for the coming period.
WARNING
The operators argue that operating with a reduced fleet will directly affect the quality and continuity of public transport. They are calling for the situation to be treated as a priority, with the aim of preventing any further deterioration of the service and restoring full operational capacity as soon as possible. Essentially, the letter from the two associations presents the institutions with a problem that directly affects citizens: if no financial solution is found for the operators, the fleet reduction is expected to translate into fewer buses, longer waits, and overcrowding on public transport.
