Serbia's Public Transport AC Fails Passengers Amid Heatwave

During Serbia's longest heatwave in a year, with temperatures soaring to 42 degrees Celsius, thousands of passengers are complaining about the lack of functioning air conditioning in public transport. Despite regulations requiring working AC in vehicles when outdoor temperatures exceed 25 degrees Celsius, the number of reports about faulty or switched-off air conditioners is increasing weekly.

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Every day I go to work, I change three buses and none of them have air conditioning.

The law stipulates a fine of 150,000 dinars for transport companies that fail to maintain a working cooling system, with an additional 20,000 dinar penalty for the responsible individual. Passengers shared their frustrations, with one young man stating he uses three buses daily and none have working AC. Another described the air conditioning as barely functional, blowing either warm or cold air unpredictably. While some newer buses offer comfort, older ones are described as "hellishly hot."

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It was working, but we don't know if it was blowing cold or hot air.

Since June 19, the "Zajedno na putu" (Together on the Road) platform has recorded over 3,000 passenger complaints specifically about air conditioning issues. The most affected routes include 88, 29, 50, 94, and 52. According to union representatives, the majority of complaints at the public transport company GSP concern trolleybuses, while private carriers allegedly have different motives.

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In some of these newer buses it's okay, but in the older ones - it's hellishly hot.

Ivan Banković from the GSP Center Union suggested that some private carriers might intentionally disable or damage cooling systems to save money. He emphasized that air conditioning in public transport is no longer a luxury but a necessity, especially during heatwaves. Banković noted that details on the number of complaints and penalties issued will be available in September. Nikola Jovanović from the Center for Local Self-Government pointed out a pattern where private carriers dispute electronic invoices for non-compliance, leading to the cancellation of fines, suggesting a "tacit agreement" between city authorities and private transport providers.

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There, we have private carriers on one hand, who intentionally do not turn on air conditioners or even intentionally break cooling systems, and the intention is certainly clear why - the motive is to save money.