From 2000 to 2012, 30 to 50 cases of attacks were reported to the police annually, in which the victims were drivers, controllers or conductors employed in the public transport system in Belgrade. Half of that number are drivers, and half are those in charge of controlling and selling tickets. For the period from 2009 to 2012, the police say that it is characteristic that physical and verbal conflicts were mainly reduced to conflicts between passengers and drivers and controllers, and that a decrease in the number of such incidents was recorded.
After 2012, when the "BusPlus" ticket collection system was introduced, the numbers began to grow: in the first year, the Ministry of Interior recorded 99 attacks (61 on drivers, 36 on controllers, and two on conductors), in 2013 there were 128 attacks (59 on drivers, 66 on controllers, and three on conductors), and in the first eight months of this year, 2014, 209 attacks were registered (167 for drivers, 130 for controllers and 12 for conductors).
CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT AND CONFUSION: In the city transport system in Belgrade, private transport companies participate, JKP City Traffic Company "Belgrade", the company "Apeks Solušn Tehnolodzi" and the Directorate for Public Transport of the City of Belgrade. The task of all of them is to transport almost two million citizens of Belgrade.
This communal work, such as garbage collection and water and electricity supply, became unexpectedly complicated when former mayor Dragan Đilas, under conditions that were later contested, introduced a new way of paying for city transportation - the "BusPlus" system. The city's opposition at the time, led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), strongly criticized it, as did the citizens: protests were organized on Republic Square for days, calling on the authorities not to introduce GMO food into Serbia, not to introduce Serbia into NATO, and to expel "BusPlus" from Serbia. Groups were created on Facebook in which it was practically explained how and why "BusPlus" should not exist. This whole game is accompanied by an increase in the price of transportation, the rules for using the new system are often changed (you need/don't need to be validated; you enter through the front door/you enter through all doors...).
After the SNS won power in Belgrade, political criticism stopped; the announced cancellation of the contract with the company "Apeks" did not happen, Facebook groups against "BusPlus" still exist and are active. Since September 1, due to the poor financial situation of the entire system, the number of buses is ten percent less than in previous years during the winter timetable, controllers have started to do their work more "rigorously", and the fine for those who do not have a ticket has been increased to 6000 dinars, or 3000 if paid within eight days, or 2000 on the spot. Also, passengers on Belgrade buses and trams have recently been reading the propaganda material of the Directorate for Public Transport in which they are explained that public transport must be paid for.
Apart from the mentioned leaflets, the new city officials did not make much effort to explain the whole mess to the users of the city transport. It was left to the tabloids and party announcements, leaving the general public to draw conclusions based only on personal political preferences. The confusion of political views on "BusPlus" has therefore left room for passengers to interpret for themselves what "BusPlus" is and whether they should be given the 73 dinars, which is the cost of an individual ticket.
DANGEROUS PROFESSIONS: "The problem is that 'BusPlus' was identified with 'Apeks' at the beginning of its implementation", says Darko Maksić, director of control at the company "Apeks solušn tehnoloji". "As time went on, as political campaigns changed, we were involved in all of that." We were alone against everyone and thus we were abused. The biggest consequence of all that, unfortunately, is the growth of attacks on controllers," believes Maksić.
While speaking for Vreme, he is interrupted by a phone call. They are calling from "Blic" to ask about the latest attack. Maksić directs the journalist to the Directorate for Public Transport, justifying that this is the procedure, then explains: "Yes, another attack this morning." The passenger slapped the controller and scratched her ears and face because she did not want to go outside. Luckily it was a tram Spaniard, so they probably recorded it and will probably find it..."
Currently, in buses, trams, trolleybuses and trains that are in the city transport system, there are about 270 controllers who are employed by the company "Apeks" and who are responsible for collecting tickets in the entire city transport system. "I can't tell you the exact number because it keeps changing." A number of contracts are expiring, some are being extended, those who didn't manage the trial work are not being extended, some are giving up, and new CVs are arriving almost every day and new people are constantly coming. Since 2011, over a thousand people have passed through 'Apeks'. The rest are truly the best workers and the most professional controllers," says Maksić.
Employees work in shifts, have lunch breaks, a regular salary, several workers from Obrenovac are being helped to rebuild flood-damaged houses. "Unfortunately, the controller can tell you more about the company's support for our employees," says Maksić. At that moment, controller Jelena joins the conversation: "We have literally every kind of help." And the director, and his boss and the entire management. When they attacked me, I didn't have time to call 911 because my phone kept ringing - everyone was calling to see if I was okay." She was beaten in Zemun, as the police found, by the boyfriend of the girl whom she had previously asked to buy a ticket or to go out. The attacker chased the bus from Žarkovo, reached it at the turnpike on the Liberation Quay and hit the controller.
"Our controllers have undergone all the necessary training. There are models of address and behavior towards passengers, colleagues and other road users. There are also conflict avoidance models, however, you can see for yourself that this is not enough. We don't have clubs, we don't have handcuffs, we don't have a badge to deal with those who don't want to pay for the service they use," Maksić explains, and Jelena adds that it would be easier if they had the status of an official.
They have a longer experience with this attitude of fellow citizens towards their employees in GSP. Slavica Stevanović, GSP spokesperson, says that the introduction of the status of an official would not solve anything because even then there will be the same problem - non-prosecution of attackers. "Despite all the security measures in the buses and the drastically reduced waiting time for the police to arrive at the scene of the incident, the situation is not improving. In those few minutes, which the police need to react today, the attacker escapes."
"The most common attackers of drivers in public transport are not passengers, but other road users, but there are no rules." Although the drivers do not get into conflicts, it is difficult to avoid a drunk man who is looking for trouble. They break our vehicles because they judge that the driver did not let them pass, for example. A man was in our hospital for eight months because he was beaten by an assailant who could not park the bus. It is absolutely devastating. And those people are just doing their job," says Stevanović.
"That controller said it nicely when he was with the city manager two or three days ago - it's the same as when someone buys bread in a bakery, passes by the saleswoman and doesn't pay." And for someone to slap the conductor for asking him for a ticket on the bus is out of his mind. It is important to raise citizens' awareness that transportation is a service that must be paid for. Same as cable or mobile. That requires time, education and awareness of all citizens," says Darko Maksić from "Apeks". By the way, the quoted controller is Aleksandar Milenkovic, and he went to the city manager Goran Vesić because of the incident that happened on September 3, when a young man beat him on the bus on line 84 after he asked for a ticket.
Vesić then told the media that he believed that the attacker of Milenkovic would be quickly found and punished, and then he used the moment to say that the majority of citizens accepted the latest campaign, referring to the distribution of leaflets about the meaning of paying for transportation. He also presented the results of some analysis according to which non-payers are not the poorest, but "arrogant, younger people who think that everything is allowed to them".
