Disruption in coastal traffic
We currently have traffic disruptions on the Umeå–Haparanda coastal stretch. The disruptions are due to a shortage of vehicles combined with a shortage of drivers, which has meant that tours have had to be cancelled, sometimes at short notice.
– We have ended up in a bad middle position where we are phasing out a vehicle fleet and are about to bring in a new subcontractor with new buses. We understand that this creates uncertainty and irritation for our travelers and regret it. Unfortunately, there is no simple and quick solution at the moment, but we are working as hard as we can to avoid our passengers being affected, says Malin Fältmark, traffic manager.
Due to a protracted legal process, Länstrafiken has not been able to conclude an agreement with a new subcontractor, i.e. one or more bus companies that will run the buses on behalf of Länstrafiken. This has led to heavily used vehicles being exposed to abnormal wear and therefore, for safety reasons, must be taken out of service more often, to be serviced.
– This, combined with the fact that the entire industry has difficulty recruiting drivers, means that we have ended up in a temporary but abnormally bad situation. Travelers must be able to trust that the bus will arrive and that they will arrive safely and comfortably. These are our obvious goals, says Ingela Karlsson, acting CEO.
A new agreement with a new supplier and new vehicles is in place on 1 April 2023. Until then, Länstrafiken is trying to solve problems that have arisen in dialogue with the current supplier, Transdev.
In December, there is a planned change in the timetable with slightly fewer trips. This will free up both vehicles and drivers for the remaining tours. Our hope is that it can improve the situation.
If you have been affected by the disruptions and want to make compensation claims, complaints or other points of view, you are welcome to contact us: https://ltnbd.se/kontakt/
