Instead of coolness, free sauna! Urban dwellers in Tirana without air conditioning at the height of the heat

A Fiks Fare observation of some of the urban bus lines in the capital highlighted the constant complaints of passengers about the lack of air conditioning and difficult travel conditions, especially on days with high temperatures.

On the  Selitë–Kristal–Qender line , citizens are seen using air fresheners and wiping away sweat due to the heat. Passengers say they complain every day about the lack of air conditioning, while a ticket collector admits that the situation is problematic.

Even on  the Kamëz-Qendër line , citizens say that even though the air conditioners are allegedly turned on, the high number of passengers and high temperatures make the journey difficult.

In another case, on the Ring Road  , the driver reacted angrily to questions about the air conditioning, stating that complaints should be addressed to the responsible institutions.

Meanwhile, on the  Kashar–Qender line , an invoice states that the buses are depreciated and that some of them need to be taken out of service. The footage shows that one way to cope with the heat is to keep the doors open during the trip.

Similar situations were also observed on the  Kombinat–Kinostudio ,  Institut–Qendër  and  Astir–Rruga e Durrës–Qendër lines , where citizens complain about the lack of minimum comfort conditions.

Small air conditioners have been installed on some buses, but the drivers themselves admit that they do not replace a functional air conditioning system. According to them, the Municipality of Tirana should intervene to improve the conditions of urban transport.

As citizens continue to face the heat on buses every day, the question remains: Are passengers getting the service they pay for?/TCH