Cost pressure reduces bus refreshments: Warning of paid water in the sector

Intercity bus companies have begun to reduce the refreshments offered during trips due to rising costs. According to a report by Sözcü, snacks such as cakes, biscuits, ice cream, and similar items, which were once among the standard services of long-distance travel, have been removed from the refreshment lists of many companies.

Some companies in the sector are currently only continuing to serve hot and cold beverages. However, if the increases in fuel, highway, bridge, maintenance, and operating expenses continue, new restrictions on these items may also come to the agenda.

Mustafa Kıransal, President of the Kars Bus Operators and Managers Association, stated that bus operators are under heavy cost pressure, saying, "Bus operators are struggling to survive." Kıransal noted that the Kars-Istanbul route is approximately 1,500 kilometers, ticket prices remain at the 2,100 TL level, and that diesel, tires, engine maintenance, and road toll fees are increasing the companies' expenses.

Kıransal stated that for a single trip from Kars to Istanbul, bridge and highway costs alone reach 56 thousand liras, and that the restrictions on refreshments have been ongoing for about a year. According to industry representatives, the increase in costs is leading companies to reconsider their service items, especially on long-distance routes.

Eyüp Fatih Bay, Malatya Branch President of the Turkey Bus Operators Federation (TOFED) and President of the Malatya Intercity Bus Operators Association, also stated that companies are forced to cut back on refreshments due to cost pressure. Bay mentioned that travel applications take a 13 percent commission from ticket sales and that payments are transferred to companies with delays.

Pointing to the paid service practice on airplanes, Bay said, "The era of paid refreshments on buses will begin. Everything is getting more expensive on its own. No one should be surprised if they start selling water for money on buses."

News Source: 12punto