The fate of bus companies

Due to the provisions introduced in March to slow down the coronavirus epidemic, domestic private passenger transport was virtually stopped. At the same time, private bus companies caught the floor much earlier, in February, because even then tourists had canceled the roads in Hungary en masse and the Hungarians had canceled the various ski trips in a row. In our compilation, we were looking for the answer to when the domestic special passenger transport can start again by lifting the restrictions.

Among the provisions most affecting the segment is that more and more popular Hungarian open-air museums, parks and other facilities have decided to reopen, however, in the summer it will be possible to organize day care and children's camps. In the coming weeks, more countries could open their borders, allowing even international tourism to resume, depending on where tourists will be subjected to a negative coronavirus test. " It is already possible to restart the special bus services, as it has not been forbidden to travel on buses so far," points out Tivadar Árvay, the communication manager of the Association of Hungarian Road Carriers (MKFE).

Another question is who will use bus services in the current situation. “ With a few exceptions, day camps are not a significant market for bus businesses. Therefore, I do not expect the start of the bus travel market from the start of the camps, ” said Imre Kulcsár, the managing director of HCC Kft., Which currently has a fleet of 12, to Vezess's interest.

The industry is ready to start again and has also developed a protocol to disinfect buses to comply with hygiene rules. “ It is only natural that clients can board vehicles that have been cleaned and disinfected as expected at the time of departure - that is, they can travel in a much safer environment than on scheduled flights that are less sterilizable due to regular passenger changes, ” stressed Tivadar Árvay. He added that it is important to protect each other's health, so the use of a face mask is a requirement for all passengers on buses.

The social distance of 1.5 meters in a tourist bus full of seats in a 2 × 2 row is difficult to interpret. According to MKFE’s communications manager, if the number of passengers allows, a separate seating arrangement may be possible, but wearing a mask and disinfecting regularly used items is the right solution, ensuring passenger protection.

(Source: vezess.hu / photo: pixabay.com)